《Demero》


 1. May The Dawn Shine Anew

    Lutiel was never particularly lucky. In fact, he always felt as though the world had gone out of its ways to make his experiences as miserable as possible. Always at the bottom of the ladder, surrounded by blinding lights that stole any shine he possessed, his existence wasn¡¯t one many would opt for as a second chance.


    Nonetheless, he wasn¡¯t one to complain. Whatever had been thrown at him, he was fine with, even if a meteor came ravaging through his hometown.


    Still, despite always being content with his circumstances, he had to admit, right now was by far the most despondent moment in his entire life.


    ¡°I told you not to come, you pricks,¡± muttering to himself, Lutiel pulled on the chains connected to the wall behind him.


    Futile. They were too tight whilst having strained his body for far too long to even make him recall the day all of this happened. Kneeling on the rough, acrid ground of the cell he was kept inside, something threatened to break out from the eye slits of the metallic helmet on his head.


    However, fighting with it, he moved his head around, being the only part of his virtually and figuratively rotting body that wasn¡¯t shackled.


    Gazing through the narrow apertures with a gradually swelling throat, he tried to distract himself with the skulls and bones scattered across the dark space.


    Yet, as he watched the scenes beyond the cell with glowing eyes, tears couldn¡¯t help but go out by themselves, his lips quivering about.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡±


    The meek voice roared through the dark space, but it could amount to a measly nothing. Only his throat started to rupture itself from being strained so much, so abruptly.


    ¡°Please,¡± he mumbled in between the ugly sobs reverberating through the place, however, there was nobody there. ¡°Please, stop it.¡± Not a single soul to listen to his woes, no matter how hard he willed it.


    Even though they were so close, standing only a couple layers above him, through the lens of his eyes, it seemed as though they were infinitely many times apart from each other.


    No matter how hard it was, he kept on watching the party that came together with a small army behind their backs. Soon, he heard the voice of the man he wanted to see the least.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± With poised eyes and a straight face, it looked like nothing could sway the long, platinum hairs and the upright frame he possessed.


    Standing in a silvery, light-blue armor blending in with his hairs, his sword was already unsheathed, hungry for blood.


    So were the trio standing around him.


    A shield, a bow, and a dagger, that was the best description for the imposing figures, each exuding a presence far beyond that of the battalion of knights and archers standing behind them.


    All of them, including the sword standing in the group¡¯s center, composed of humanity¡¯s strongest, stared directly at the existence sitting on the throne inside the castle¡¯s ruins.


    The horns that curled around his head covered the eyes, but to the people gathered around, the unemotional, moving mouth felt even more horrendous. Never knowing its true intentions, the tall body covered in dark scales almost seemed to seep out with some sort of energy, black to its very core, swallowing any sort of illumination.


    Simply standing near the dingy, ethereal fumes made the hairs at the back of their necks stand. Immediately, they wished to go away from this place, to have never come to the demon lord before them in the first place.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you, Raphael. I have never expected the heroes to barge straight into my den.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have if you hadn¡¯t stolen one of our party members.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you well equipped already? What¡¯s the matter if one pawn out of a hundred more disappears?¡± Pointing at the army of armored knights behind the hero, his sharp claw made countless plates clutter from the shivers. However, they didn¡¯t listen to the blatant provocation, staying in place. They were here to kill the demon, after all.


    In their place, Raphael thrust his long, white blade. Finally, the unfaltering hairs moved, illuminated with a soft glow under the moon.


    ¡°Cut the crap, Magon. Tell me where you hid him if you don¡¯t want those horns stuck in your heart,¡± he barked while pointing the sword right at the white face of the demon lord.


    And, much to his expectation, the monster simply smiled, baring its black teeth.


    ¡°I would like to see you try. Do you think you can do it?¡± Asking the question, some of the black energy surged around him harsher than before, making a major part of the knights kneel to him. Struggling to hold themselves up under the pressure his being emanated, blood started to smear itself around their guts, quickly escaping through the mouth down onto the floor.


    Looking at the knights with a closed mouth, the demon lord still voiced his acknowledgement for the party of four heroes.


    ¡°Good job. Especially you, sword hero, can you see that angry look on your face? I wouldn¡¯t want any other reaction out of you,¡± the demon spoke with a grinning face.


    ¡°Tell. me. where. you. hid. him.¡± Through gritted teeth, words escaped Raphael¡¯s clenched jaw while the other heroes started gradually moving their bodies.


    After a while, the energy finally receded, making the knights stand back to their positions, despite the horrors filling up their mortal hearts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Magon stopped smiling, the previous, blank expression coming back. Waves of the dark energy spread out without halting, pulsing out of the cracks around his body. More blood than ever churned out of the knights¡¯ mouths as they fell to their stomachs, crumbling under the excessive prowess.


    Just when it looked like the heroes were about to fall as well, however, they all raised their right hand, where each of them held a certain mark.


    Right above their wrists, on the back of their hands, the marks glowed despite there being armors. Piercing through, all four of the hero glyphs announced themselves to the world. In unison, an almost invisible wall made itself up, protecting both the bearers, as well as those beyond them.


    For the second time already, the knights raised themselves up. Their fighting spirit was ignited anew, lit through and by the heroes.


    In front of the formation, the brawny hero stood with his heater shield that towered over him. With the bright, gleaming red gem in the middle of the iron shield, he easily covered all of his body, as well as partially the one that stood directly behind him, the hero of the sword.


    ¡°I never thought you would,¡± Raphael uttered with a glare while placing both of his hands on the sword¡¯s handle, the glyph¡¯s power practically oozing onto the cold blade under the night¡¯s veil. With a light glow reminiscent of his hair, the man took on his stance, along with the two heroes right at his back and numerous knights.


    Hundreds of swords and tens of bows and crossbows raised themselves, aiming at the single entity starting to stand up from his imposed seat.


    Their heights barely reaching his waist, the monster¡¯s frame was more than enough to bring them nightmares. Coupled with the dark, rigid, and protruding scales filled with the energy, they only wished it would end quickly.


    Two black fires spread around the lord¡¯s horns as he brought his right arm out to the side of the throne, a wide and long blade filled with imperfections raising itself from the ground.


    Holding onto the greatsword with a purple eye on the blade¡¯s very bottom in the center, shivers creeped in on the knights¡¯ skin as they felt it scour through every part of them instantly.


    Feeling a tight hold against their neck from the back, as if some lanky, cold hand of a skeleton tried to drag them, their eyes shivered while looking at the incoming demon lord.


    He walked leisurely towards the army, dragging the greatsword along the tattered and dirtied carpet from the past. A lengthy grin appeared on his face as he heard the valiant one bellow.


    ¡°FIRE!¡± Raphael¡¯s voice beamed in the ears of the armored archers and arbalists, and a second later, they raised and released their arrows, more than a hundred of them going at the same creature.


    Yet, before they could show their might, the demon¡¯s sword lit up in the same black light as his horns, swinging to the side while releasing the flame before engulfing anything in its path.


    Devouring the arrows completely, the fire quickly reached the defender.


    Supporting the shield with his whole body, Byrde felt as though a battering ram hit him with the full force of four people guiding it. Even though it was a simple flame with a different shade to it.


    Still, gritting his teeth as his shoulder experienced hell, the man opposed it, leaving marks of his sabatons on the old castle¡¯s floor while skidding on top of it.


    Although the attack was on a much larger scale than his own shield, once it hit the defensive weapon, all of the flames gathered around it.


    ¡°GO!¡±


    While the shield hero battled with the attack, Raphael talked to his men, being the first to run at the demon, only the hero with the dagger equaling his speed and reactions.


    Already before the lord, the two heroes attacked, however, sensing a dangerous feeling, their feet turned back while the knights soon replaced their positions.


    Tens of them stood around, swinging their swords with the pure reason to defeat the enemy before them. To kill the demon lord that plagued the lands of the empire.


    Almost reaching the dark scales around its body, the swords suddenly collapsed, their owners turning headless when tens of fires came flying from Magon¡¯s occupied hands.


    Gazing at the another set of arrows coming right at him, his greatsword moved once again, eating through half of the armors gathered beside him and all of the arrows once again, only to meet with Byrde, who had just finished dissipating the last attack across his shield.


    His rigid stance threatened to break. The force having become powerful enough to place his sturdy bones on the verge of crumbling apart.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°ARRRGHHH!¡± The tall, burly man roared at the top of his lungs, getting it all out of him to preserve his position. Visibly, it helped. He may have traveled all the way back to the archers, but he successfully intercepted the attack from obliterating them.


    Alas, it came at a cost. His figure convulsed incessantly, spams reverberating across the muscles, all of which worked with a sole purpose in mind. Byrde struggled to hold the shield up, but fortunately, no more flames came forth.


    Ahead, he glanced, staring as the platinum hairs danced. Daintily, his body flowed through the atmosphere with staggering ease. Under the fuddle of the horror-ridden knights, Raphael cut through with his blade, aiming for an opening left by Magon.


    They watched. Along with the dagger-wielding girl, their eyes followed the movement of the two heroes that stopped the birth of the third slash.


    Both attacked the wrists holding the greatsword firmly in place, faltering the imminent movement that would have wiped the rest of the squad clean.


    At the same time, the girl moved. With her nimbleness, unobstructed by an overly heavy armor, Daine jumped and used her feet.


    The long blade of the huge greatsword soon met foreign bodies on top of its rough surface. Kicking with all of her might, Magon¡¯s arms moved back for a blink of an eye.


    But, it was enough. Raphael¡¯s arms responded as quick as lightning, retracting into his stance before stabbing right around the groin, in the crevices around the scales.


    A clear image appeared inside his head, knowing almost instinctively where the sword penetrated through. Touching the hip joint, the hero was about to yank his sword away sharply.


    Everything happened in a flash. Despite the girl holding back his weapon, it was only momentarily. She was about to jump away from the hard material when a grimace appeared on her face while looking down at her feet.


    Gnashing her teeth, Daine did it regardless, jumping off the greatsword using her mutilated and bloodied legs.


    The remnants of the black fire still lingered on them, devouring her body gradually. Witnessing the horrors before them, the knights caught the girl before cutting off the calves, the fire unable to spread any longer.


    ¡°Is this the supposed might of heroes? Falling to a mere flame? I must have overestimated you,¡± Magon¡¯s voice echoed in Raphael¡¯s ears, the prior image colluding his eyes, unable to witness the one before him moving.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted! Raphael!¡± A voice came through from the back, behind the hero bearing a shield. Through the air, three arrows pierced swiftly. The demon lord¡¯s advance was forcefully stopped.


    Looking at the dark claws of the stopped foot, three arrows stuck between the nooks between the scales, the platinum-haired hero quickly regained his clarity.


    ¡°Sorry for that, Kylli,¡± apologizing to the hero who nocked another three arrows on her bow, he swung his sword directly at the incoming, great blade of the demon lord.


    Attacking using only one hand, Magon freed the other to promptly catch the incoming arrows. Although her eyes widened as Kylli witnessed the weapons get stuck between the black claws, she immediately took yet another three from the quiver on her back.


    Meanwhile, the swords finally met. One grinned while the other grit his teeth. Standing in the stalemate, the demon lord towered over the seemingly puny existence. However, as little compared to him he was, Raphael withstood the otherworldly power.


    No, his sword pried away the strength of Magon¡¯s right arm, slowly, but surely. To his aid, the knights moved while immediately surrounding the monster.


    It was the perfect scenario. While the hero¡¯s sword battled the black flame from stretching outwards, they were allowed freedom in their attacks, gradually wounding the demon¡¯s body. At least, such was the plan.


    In the unsuspected moment, the fire flowed all the way up to the grinning horns. Sensing the dangers, Raphael¡¯s body instantly curled up in order to protect himself, but it was far beyond his measly strengths.


    A powerless sensation overtook him. Flying through the place all the way to the broken off wall of the castle, breath struggled to creep inside. Through his hazy eyes, the hero shivered after seeing something that could be only described with a single word.


    Domination. Walking through the castle¡¯s ruins with a leisurely, unimpressed face, all of the knights that were just a breath ago around him dissipated into thin air.


    A radiating pain spread on the back of Raphael¡¯s head, a heavy toll impeding his thinking. Getting up without a care for his feeble state, he wanted to make a difference in the massacre that was being displayed right in front of him.


    Without even using his flames, Magon smiled sneeringly while shaking off the arrows with just his blade.


    He stood before the tough-willed Byrde. With but a single thrust upwards, the hero had been impaled through, sharing the fate of the dagger-wielding girl. The tough iron shield that withstood any of the previous attacks crumpled like it was nothing before the lord.


    With a swing to the side, Byrde¡¯s body fell apart completely, chunks of it striking the terrified archers that obstinately kept their duties, sending arrows after arrows.


    Only to be flung away using the dark greatsword whenever he swung.


    As soon as the third hero fell to his dark weapon, any hope left inside them crumbled apart like a brittle rock, their gaze lingering on the last of them, who finally stood up from the column his body crashed into.


    It took mere moments, yet the battalion of his men and the party of heroes was turned to dust. What was left of any of them was either a lifeless corpse or a burnt to nothingness ghost, Raphael being the only left. However, as the demon saw it, the air around him changed.


    Not only that. The hairs on his head and the eyes within his head, they glowed. Battling the shine of the moon, even he felt something spread in the dark body of his.


    ¡°Tell me, hero. Was it worth it? You basically traded a pebble for humanity¡¯s only supporting pillars.¡±


    His wounds weren¡¯t visible anymore. Walking up to him with the long white blade in his two hands, the hero was ready to strike at any given moment.


    ¡°Or were you hoping for this all along? The heroes dying so you could take on their strengths,¡± Magon barked with a smile. However, witnessing the state of the human, he himself had to take the situation with a more solemn undertone, taking the greatsword with both of his hands as well.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fall under your fallacies, Magon, I don¡¯t care what you utter,¡± the hero said, his eyes even colder than when he first came here.


    Slowly, he raised his sword, swiftly appearing before the demon, a newfound strength rippling through his muscles. With only a sole step, Raphael cut through the air, slashing straight at the monster.


    For the second time, the two weapons met. This time, the tides became shifted, the hero¡¯s blade hacking into the greatsword of his enemy, whose face started to melt. A grimacing expression appeared as he heard the next words coming from his mouth.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t nearly as strong as we believed you to be. That flame of yours, you used all of it up already.¡±


    ¡°You dare say that? After five hundred men fell to your meager attempt? Three of the four great heroes died, the last one getting ever closer to them,¡± the demon lord snorted, an unresponsive look veiling his face.


    ¡°I told you already, I will pierce the horns through that heart of yours. I will get you to reveal where he is.¡±


    No words formed anymore. Their only exchange of communication turned into a bout of pure physicality aided with techniques and movement.


    Pushing the hero away in vain, Raphael simply came right back at the sword, hacking into another spot of the sword, a symphony of sparks soon engulfing the dark night around them.


    One step without focus was enough for the other to finish the battle, but neither fell for tens of them on end. Performing monstrous actions with inhuman speeds, their slashes that cut through the floor around them only seemed to accelerate, no party ever getting tired.


    Incessantly, they exchanged attacks under the calm of the lifeless ruins. Riddling the blades with countless cuts and incisions, it was a miracle neither had yet fallen off or crushed under the weight of the other.


    Guided by the moonlight, the hero danced, his hairs flowing along with the tepid breeze.


    Imposed upon the world, the demon lord stood firmly on the ground, the previous presence of darkness no longer spreading through the space.


    The muscles and bones screamed, caring for none. Reverberating in the form of pain, the tremors filled their bodies each time the weapons met. But, they couldn¡¯t focus on it. If they did, the battle would have already ended.


    Their bodies breaking apart, both of them fought constantly, not realizing the ascent of the dawn, hidden in the dark walls of the broken apart castle.


    The hero felt it, inside his body. It moved as though strings pulled him back. The muscles of his arms and legs had finally torn themselves, something that lurked within him ever since he received the new strength.


    However, no matter how he looked at it, he could have never regretted it, the greatsword of the demon lord cut in two, a moment before his own blade would have fallen apart.


    With each following movement, his body broke increasingly, bruising all over his pale skin. Yet, when the white blade pierced through the tough scales, stabbing through the heart of the demonic being, he wasn¡¯t able to register it anymore.


    Magon fell to his knees, strength quickly dissipating from his huge body.


    Although the hero couldn¡¯t see his eyes, he was quite sure of something. The fear of the unknown struck them, just like it did the humans nineteen years ago.


    ¡°Where is Lutiel?¡± The hero muttered, the expression on his face changing. Unlike his usual, tranquil way around the world, the eyes of a murderer appeared on him.


    Nonetheless, the only response he got was something that made them even more gruesome.


    ¡°And why should I tell you that? I¡¯m already dying. You lost your chances, hero,¡± he laughed in his face, the black teeth entwined with the crimson fluid. Spilling out of his clenched jaw, the blood dripped onto the cold floor being gradually illuminated by the peeping sun.


    His pale, pure-white neck was quickly grasped onto, gripped by the hero¡¯s right arm. Even more so than before, the light blue eyes of his practically shined, brutish strength funneling into his body.


    With nothing but vanity, devoid of emotions, the hero¡¯s eyes stared at the demon that struggled to breathe properly.


    Drilled into the neck, his fingers dug themselves deeper with each second, blood starting to seep out of the armor cracks around his arm.


    ¡°I will murder every one of your demons. I will purge your kind, smite any last remaining one, and burn any strands of hairs that are left by you.¡±


    With the sword still stuck inside his heart, Magon¡¯s moves turned sluggish, but he didn¡¯t fail to deliver his last gift to humanity.


    ¡°Lutiel is¡­ long since dead¡­¡± he muttered to the hero, his arm unable to be sensed when his eyes widened fully.


    Something was and felt wrong, mused Raphael. A hot feeling spread in the middle of his chest while some warm liquid began to travel up to his mouth.


    Coughing up the blood, it couldn¡¯t be contained. Finally, the hero gazed down, only to witness the claws stuck inside his chest, penetrating through the armor.


    His heart beat no longer, having been lost. Quickly, the lights that lit inside his eyes dimmed, strength going out of him like some riddled bucket that kept on losing its waters.


    Just like those of Raphael, Lutiel¡¯s eyes stopped glowing, though for a different reason. With the helmet around his head lowered, the stream of tears coming down his cheeks had already dried up. He no longer had it in him to produce any more of them.


    Deprived. He had become deprived of all. Stripped of those dearest and closest to him, all because of him, the chains started clattering.


    Sure, they were his friends, but he never expected them to come. No, he wished for it. For them not to come. He pulled onto them, despite not being able to move.


    He was the cause of this, he knew that. He was a fool to think they would listen to his request, to that damn letter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized through the metallic plates, his voice restrained somewhat. Remaining in the same state for a few minutes, his head started ringing from the pain.


    However, he didn¡¯t know what to do anymore. Stuck in this hell, he was the only one left. Raising his head through the dark space, for the second time, his eyes started glowing, his thought not able to be finished as something made his eyes tremble to the very core.


    Hovering in front of him, there was a thing. Deep black, it still had a glisten to it despite this devoid of light place. A bubble, wobbling around in the air, away from his face.


    ¡®What¡­ is... this?¡¯ he muttered inwardly, no one able to explain. And before he knew, his body moved autonomously, breaking apart in the process.


    Reaching out with his head, the chains quickly acted, constraining him, but he didn¡¯t care. Something inside screamed that he needed to burst that bubble, as quickly as possible.


    Pulling with all of the strength left inside his body, the brittle, undernourished bones of his threatening to break along with the little muscles mounted onto them.


    ¡°AHHHHHHH!¡± He screamed, but pushed nevertheless.


    As though giving the trunk its very last hit with an axe, it started to tilt. He heard something. A weak crack around his shoulders spread and a sharp pain hit him, but it was pointless.


    He was already next to the bubble, the helmet touching its exterior. Immediately, as it burst, the space around was engulfed, reaching through the ground all the way to the world above.


    A thunderous earthquake tore the world apart, a light brighter than a hundred suns growing through the lands.

 2. Reborn

    What did it feel like? To be kept inside a mother¡¯s womb, was it warm, or was it just right? He had no idea. The mind simply wasn¡¯t able to extend so far in the past, such memories yet to stop from fleeting away.


    Humans could solely dream. They weren¡¯t capable of doing anything other than imagining what it felt like. Was it because of longing? Curiosity? Depravation? He knew nothing of it, but he didn¡¯t need to understand. Surrounded, he floated inertly. His body flowed through the warmth that aided him.


    He mused it as a mother¡¯s embrace, something that permeated his within and held the internal flames abuzz. Though the veil of some mucous liquid restricted it, he could still sense the faint beatings of something very far away.


    However, there was no rush to get anywhere. His powerless body would eventually float towards there on its own. All he needed to do was remain here, in the vast expanse of nothingness that made his mind at peace. He didn¡¯t feel apprehensive before the world devoid of light.


    He enjoyed this sea of serenity. Drifting away inside it, as though time itself didn¡¯t reflect his image back, there was simply¡­ him. Him, who felt free anew. No longer had he been imposed on by the stern chains holding his body back.


    Curled up, he let the blank space around take him by hand. There had been no worry written across his being, only a rough smile across the obstructed, blurred head.


    Unable to tell how long he spent afloat, not needing to, it simply passed. Fleeing as quickly as the sunny, peaceful days, it passed while something began to take hold of him. He thought.


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯


    A question was probed at himself, only to answer it with another one.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯


    Once again, there came no response. A remorseful silence pervaded instead.


    ¡®Who am I?¡¯


    Before he knew it, the beatings spreading throughout the tranquil realm radiated across his whole body, light peeking in through the venous membranes he could finally see. Beyond the viscous liquid, a tough film covered his figure, a dim, red light coming out of it.


    But, he realized one thing. If he were to leave right now, his body wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain itself yet. So, he waited, and waited. Waited no matter how long it took.


    To the very last moment, until the bright light finally engulfed his smooth eyelids.


    With a searing sensation, his eyes felt as though fire took them ablaze. Then, the wind tensed his skin, barring its paleness to the world.


    He pushed through, breaking apart the tight layer around him through the long gash that was already on it. Having eased his way out, while confusion still lingered all throughout his mind, the body moved instinctively.


    With regained strength, his footing around the world also returned, not to mention the passing of time. Knowing that it kept on passing by each moment a gust of wind wafted through, he began standing up. All of the renewed sensations around him only worsening the grinding clutter inside his head.


    The wind, the light, the sounds, the thoughts, the movement of his slumbered muscles, the sudden change of temperature, and above all else, the weird looks he was currently receiving. All of them gnawed away at him, whose befuddlement knew no bounds.


    With a loud, whistling noise, the man covered his eyes. Glancing at the piercing shine of the sword¡¯s tip, it was undeniably harsher on him compared to the bright red torches illuminating the dark space.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯o la ges?¡± The girl said with a calm breath. Her red skin and white eyes immediately screamed her descent to him, however, hearing the unknown language, he couldn¡¯t reply. He had no idea what it meant, especially under his disoriented state.


    His helmet may have not been there anymore, but his speech was still impeded.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯t la ges nuen?¡±


    Her voice remained at an equal volume, her sword in the same, steady position. Standing with a straight posture, one of her hands waiting patiently behind the back.


    Under the grand cumulation of sensations and being unable to utter a single word, he looked around the girl instead. All donning imposing, iron armor, the group of five each had a sword at their hips, but it was only the first one bearing it.


    With the black, curved horn protruding at the top, on the right side, he stared at the demoness. Along her sides, two demons held wooden torches with a lit cloth at the very top, dripping a fiery liquid every now and then.


    Finally gazing at the space they were inside, witnessing the occasional drops of dirt fall through the cracks, he somewhat realized his circumstances.


    Judging from the materials he could see, the prison must have been shaken up after he burst that dark bubble. Why? And how come he wasn¡¯t hurt?


    He couldn¡¯t understand, nor was he given time to do so.


    ¡°Tis li gader¡¯yr kiz ges,¡± the female demon spoke, flicking up her sword the slightest bit. Still pointing at him, her eyes demanded answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know your tongue,¡± he said, finally speaking up. Though rid of emotions, he didn¡¯t seem to offend the red-skinned girl. Instead, her eyelids tucked in slightly, a nippy change reaching his ears.


    Almost immediately, as he spoke, two girls that were hiding behind her finally moved. To be exact, their hands moved. All of a sudden, a gripping sensation appeared on his naked body, similar to the metallic bonds that held him before in this wreck of a prison cell. However, unlike the physical material, he was unable to tell of the invisible chains.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a white-haired human before. Why are you here? Did some beast keep you in that integument?¡±


    They demanded answers from the human, that was very clear to him. But, he feared that he could provide them with nothing important.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. I don¡¯t know myself. I was already here when I woke up,¡± he spoke bluntly while shaking his head faintly, getting the demon to point behind him.


    ¡°Have you any idea of the membrane you came out of? Something in the least?¡±


    Once again, with a shake of his head, he only heard the girls behind her speak up to her.


    ¡°Arn oemra ars yist e les un meman,¡± the girl with the torch said to the armored demon with black hair, the one interrogating their unexpected find.


    ¡°Tis crav. Tis tome seo junt,¡± with an unremarkable voice, she replied. Her gaze lingering on the man, she seamlessly changed the language she spoke in once again.


    ¡°Do you at least know your name?¡±


    Immediately, hearing her ask the question, he didn¡¯t wait in answering it, as though he had waited an eternity for this very moment. Yet, realizing an oddity, his mind convoluted itself, because it had driven off into two completely different directions.


    ¡®Lutiel.¡¯


    ¡°No,¡± answered both the head and the body, simultaneously. Staring at the demon with a shallow, indifferent gaze, Lutiel replied.


    Was he not able to control his body? That shouldn¡¯t be the case, after all, he could feel the oppressive, invisible ropes whenever he moved his arms. At the same time, earlier, it was him who spoke of his awakening.


    ¡°That¡¯s even better, then,¡± she said with a secretive tone hidden in her voice, one that made him forget his thoughts and shiver internally, yet stand proudly in the physical world.


    ¡°Ars tane maci e raf umafi,¡± once again, on her side, one of the girls spoke, getting a nod in response.


    He didn¡¯t know any of whatever they were chattering about, but something inside him told him it wasn¡¯t great. No, the fleeting looks on a certain section of his body¡¯s lower portion solely gave plenty of intel.


    ¡°Dho til li e hrae assi¡¯no cin,¡± the girl giggled as she brought the other hand closer to her mouth, covering the facadal shock.


    Whilst hearing a couple more cackles spread out, he didn¡¯t fail to notice the red-skinned demon¡¯s gestures. With her free hand, she must have shown something to the two demon girls wearing robes along their armors.


    Almost immediately, the invisible ropes around him tightened while he himself clenched his jaw. Drowsiness had overtaken his mind, and he couldn¡¯t fight with it no matter what.


    No more than a few sentences had been exchanged since he had woken up, yet he was already going back to sleep. No, it would have been wrong to say that.


    With a half-awake mind, he witnessed anything happening next. Albeit more like a dream, he still more or less knew what they were doing. Just when his initial confusion had practically dissipated, a new one took hold of his head.


    Lying on the hard ground, the original one of his cell, he observed. No longer pointing the sword around, the demoness came up to him, putting some cloak around his body before tightening it up with a rough, gritty rope.


    Without waiting any further, under his lulled state, she picked him up and threw over on top of her shoulder.


    ¡°Juve tias veir,¡± she said to her company, promptly beginning to lead the group out of the entwined mess of caves that they ventured through to get here in the first place.


    As they kept on walking, unbeknownst to them, Lutiel took in little bits and pieces of information through the fleeting consciousness. Trying to battle him, whatever it was that the demons had given him, his mind woke back up any time it succeeded.


    Through half-closed eyelids, he stared at the hazy world in front of him, dark beyond recognition. However, his eyes had no problem seeing, no matter how little light came from the torches.


    Before it waned once again, he saw nothing, but dark caves, parts of the collapsed castle ruins intertwined in the seemingly infinite walls of rock and dirt.


    However, looking at what seemed to be a dug out wall, connecting to another set of corridors, he couldn¡¯t retain anything any longer.


    Passing through him, the same images displayed themselves for quite a while. Nothing, but a world-encompassing cave riddled with boggling and similar pathways.


    Regaining the vaguest portions of clarity each time his mind fell, with the state of his mind gradually settling down, Lutiel felt the slight chafing around his body from being carried on the demon¡¯s shoulders for so long, but the glowing exit garnered most of his attention.


    With the cloth cluttering on his body as they exited, under the calm look of a half-asleep doll, his heart beat hastened. He hadn¡¯t seen the sunlight in an excruciatingly lengthy amount of time. For him to all of a sudden come out of the cell into the wild, even if he was being kidnapped, it suddenly hit yet again. The reality of the situation.


    Because of him, the heroes died, and with what he was seeing, the demons must have fully taken over the continent, to the very last fortress the humans defended themselves with. From excitement, his heart quickly took on a halted, hesitant rhythm.


    Without the pillars of hope known as the four great heroes, there was little to no hope left in the weak knights of the empire. Not when the number of demons already started exceeding that of the humans.


    ¡®If, if only I-¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t able to finish as he felt a harsh fall, being thrown on top of the horse¡¯s back before the group¡¯s leader tried to fasten him to the brown-haired mount. All of the sorrowful thoughts immediately disappeared as he gasped for air, catching the demon¡¯s attention.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake already? After only four hours, you¡¯re quite resistant, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Tightening the ropes and fixing him in place, the demoness promptly jumped up to the saddle from the stirrups, still awaiting the answer.


    ¡°Were you able to remember something about yourself during that time?¡± Waiting for the other demons to get on their transports, she asked the man behind her.


    However, to her disappointment, he wasn¡¯t interested in revealing the information, the mind agreeing with the body.


    ¡°My head was already in a turmoil. That trick didn¡¯t help very much,¡± the man replied back at her, but she didn¡¯t even turn around at the blatant show of disrespect one couldn¡¯t find in humans nowadays. Caressing the horse¡¯s mane, a gentle neigh spread out before she finally talked once again.


    ¡°I have to say, you will fetch a good price and most likely get a decent master, but let me give you a piece of advice,¡± she said whilst turning around. ¡°Learn to show them respect. I don¡¯t know how long you tried to hide inside that cave, but it was foolish to think you would die there peacefully, even if you found some nice cocoon.¡±


    ¡°Price?¡± He muttered to himself before glancing at the landscape spread out before him. Did she just say he was going to fetch a good price? Masters?


    Of course, he understood what all of that entailed. It was simply far too shocking. He had just been the demon lord¡¯s prisoner, but now, he would turn into a slave.


    Looking at the gloomy, cloudy skies of the meadow and forested hills all around them, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help, but lower his gaze.


    ¡®What was I expecting to begin with? For them to magically release me?¡¯


    ¡°Of course, a good one at that. I reckon it will be ten silvers for you, pretty boy,¡± she said, making his heart falter as the face broke out into a smile rather than the unresponsive serenity. At the same, he sighed inwardly, feeling his consciousness slipping away, the demon¡¯s sword striking his nape.


    ¡°Sweet dreams, again,¡± muttering, she simply saw as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

 3. Here, Yet Nowhere

    Lutiel judged that it must have been his fate now. To spend the rest of eternity in nothing but darkness and shackles. Hindered in the arms, he stood there, his legs able to maneuver around, unlike the two times prior.


    Although he had woken up just about an hour ago, it wasn¡¯t anything different from this. Having slept on the piercing, wet sand mixed with dirt, the chains connected to the ground were already on him. Unable to do anything other than wait, he stood up instead, inspecting the space around with his legs and feet that could at least extend somewhat.


    Two bars of metal struck his toes, followed by a thin, yet opaque cloth beyond the cage he was inside. Even with the somewhat large space separating each bar, running away would have been in vain.


    Not only were the chains extremely sturdy and heavy, he had no idea what this place was. Though, listening to his surroundings and recalling what the red-skinned demon told him, he could easily guess it.


    As time gradually passed, startled wails reverberated all around him, ugly sobs of realization that there was nothing they could do here filling his ears. Just like him, they were aware of what was going to happen to them.


    The awareness of the fact had prompted them to cry even more. Forming a cacophony that assaulted his ears, though they weren¡¯t forced to get accustomed to it. In the end, they must have acknowledged their fates, or they simply fully cried their tears out.


    ¡°Why are you so quiet? You up?¡± A voice directly to his right asked. Unlike the saddened echoes of other cages, the man on his side beamed with tranquility he found only around Raphael and other heroes.


    ¡°I am,¡± Lutiel replied. ¡°Though, a nightmare would have been nicer than this.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± the man chuckled at his statement, despite the circumstances they were in. ¡°But, don¡¯t you feel quite happy at the same time? Aren¡¯t you ready to clap some demonic cheeks after all of this is over?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    An internal wave of disgust engulfed him all of a sudden as he spouted autonomously. Similar to the instance with the demonic girl, his mouth spoke before the mind could gather fully.


    ¡°Ahhh, you¡¯re no fun,¡± with prolonged disappointment, he added. ¡°Life¡¯s quite short nowadays. You have to use up any chances, you know? This is practically a haven for wives that aren¡¯t satisfied with their husbands.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve been here before?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t say I have, but I¡¯ve met a few champions that survived until they were either bought out or slain in the next batches.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked, startled yet intrigued at the same time.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the custom of the merchant that we¡¯re being sold by. Any of his slaves that don¡¯t sell, he puts them to a fight until one remains for the next batch. Even though this is a mens¡¯ batch, even male demons come just to watch two or more humans battle to the death.¡±


    Something churned inside his body after hearing the explanation, but none of his face muscles moved. Any internal struggles were extinguished by the calm tide flowing through his body.


    ¡°I see, thank you,¡± with a sincere thought, he thanked the man on his right.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, it¡¯s the least I can do in this situation,¡± he replied with a ¡°However, please do tell me your name. The world must know of such a gentleman.¡±


    ¡°Lutiel.¡±


    For a second, there was no response, only for a tumultuous laughter to spread out into his right ear immediately.


    ¡°Oh, really? There are quite a number of our namesakes nowadays, aren''t there? I am also Lutiel. Lutiel Tvenai, to be precise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never met a second one.¡±


    Although it was a strange sensation to meet a person that bore his name in such a place, with the experiences he was living through, nothing seemed very odd anymore.


    ¡°What Kingdom were you born in? Here, every other man is named Lutiel.¡±


    ¡°Qniuve,¡± said the man, quickly getting a heated reaction from the side.


    ¡°What¡¯s a qniuvenian like you doing in Helasta? This is as far away from the imperial capital as it could be,¡± the man asked with genuine curiosity, shock entwined.


    ¡°Fighting demons, but you can see how that ended,¡± he said, getting a brisk reaction once again.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t we one and the same? Though in a slightly different way, I also battled with the demons. Underground. I was the leader of the revolutionaries, but it all ended in a one-sided massacre on our side,¡± the other Lutiel laughed, as though reminiscing of good times.


    The voices around them were increasing with each breath they exchanged. However, Lutiel couldn¡¯t hear them from around the cages near him. No, they came from beyond the sands they were standing on, beyond what must have been the arena.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    With words very similar to the demonic tongue he caught back in the caves, both of the Lutiels listened in on the din of unknown origin.


    Very soon, as the voices threatened to break up into calm silence, the other Lutiel spoke up.


    ¡°It seems our time is up, good luck,¡± he said before immediately shutting himself, similar to the rest of the cages.


    Finally, after what seemed like a good few minutes, all of the noises subsided, making way for the loudest one so far, resounding throughout the arena and the cloths that hid the cages. However, as blaring as it was, it was a voice in its purest, unadulterated form, coming from a merchant that wanted nothing, but to lure in his potential buyers.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯i la geas bei¡¯yr, cinaefr? Tis nadia elie un geas la v raf galf on larune,¡± the loud man spoke, reaching every corner and ears of the slave market, especially those that stood right on display. ¡°Jun li gotovelie dho cinste¡¯ie tias yast chod nuen kiz vet¡¯uj involnia teug pekuc bola mortevan!¡±


    Cheers accompanied his words, but Lautiel had no idea what any of it meant, the same as when the party of demons awakened him.


    Yet, despite all of it sounding like gibberish, his stomach somewhat revolted and thrown off when hearing it, the demonic language interested him. Listening to it made him remember how the priests at the monastery forced him to listen to their drunken tirades, quite close to that.


    Eventually dying out under the reverberating sound of the announcer, the humans kept inside the cages stayed as quiet as they could. Their sobs muffled out by the voice, the demons were unable to hear their dirge.


    ¡°Praeci ausapre un junt, Tis tome¡¯in in rotov recroche espe,¡± the voice spoke through the masses, carrying itself with a hint of excitement. ¡°Dlar dho cinste¡¯ie involni tika¡¯a, elie un dho involnia la e espe urpo.¡±


    Once again, claps and mellow cheers spread around the arena. Kept to themselves, they seemingly awaited the next words from the person that retained his voice filled with vibrance and clarity.


    Holding the slaves in suspense, they could do nothing other than wait until something happened, maybe think about potential future masters they would get. But, that was only the best-case scenario, from what Lutiel gathered.


    There was also a decent chance they would simply be left to fight for their lives, though he still had no idea in what kind of a battle. Nor did he want to know.


    ¡°Treped tias rivelu recolvi, aefrkozs¡¯i, Tis yast timaunroche kiz petavir. Timaunroche ferai vizne,¡± he spoke, the voice deepening at the end. ¡°Dho cin kozs¡¯o meci elie un jun possle. Dho cin un teva kiz lied tias kiz zvycta!¡±


    ¡°Tis tene biem kiz vitacu,¡± at the cusp of sentence, his pure excitement spoke instead. ¡°Cin un dho istati kapitre un jun istati tika, Zyponia un Afiern!¡±


    Although he already hadn¡¯t been moving at all, hearing the name get uttered, his body flinched before wholly immuring.


    Finally, instead of the impassive glare, his brows furrowed the slightest bit.


    ¡®Why is she here? What is she doing here?¡¯ he asked fervidly, the question reverberating through his head. However, as quickly as the reaction escaped his grasp, the face once again returned to its usual composition, scouring through the dark world around him.


    Left alone with his thoughts, the sounds of cheers, claps, and even whistles intensified as the name was heard.


    Judging from the half-screams bouncing off of the cloth around his cage, he had little to no problems figuring out just how excited they were to see her.


    At the same time, it was no wonder. Being one of the eight demon lords, her power and status were above any of the normal demons he had seen in the past. Though, even the normal demons he fought were superior in every aspect compared to the average knight of the empire.


    Despite never seeing her in person, he always heard about her position as the strongest demon lord. As for whether it was true, he couldn¡¯t ever know.


    ¡°Panyi Zyponia yist vitecu tias, vic tis tane¡¯in maci jun e verge¡¯no ksperien,¡± his voice bloomed the interest of the listening hearts once more, quickly engulfing the arena with an eerie serenity. ¡°Juve tias zacin!¡±


    With more gusto than ever, the voice roared, followed by the sound of something cranking in the distance, at least the way Lutiel¡¯s ears could hear it.


    He, along with all the other slaves, understood the sound perfectly. A cage of a certain slave was being revealed to the masses.


    ¡°Chod¡¯yr nuen ze e demezinaumafi, ars li e raf mez v hoze. Dlar ars¡¯e involni czec, tias meci secur kiz osta ars¡¯o ferai slun. Ars¡¯e zacin¡¯yr vota li kren dracara, bie cinolvi vanr jun nolvirec?¡±


    As the words fell, Lutiel still stood in total darkness. It wasn¡¯t him, who was revealed. Still, feeling the loud shouts that tried to eat each other, he practically felt bare against the invisible crowd.


    Not able to fight it, he simply waited as the commotion ended, human shrieks coming to his ears a few minutes later.


    ¡°No! No! Please! Don¡¯t take me! Argh! Ah! No! Leave me be! Plea-,¡± The man screamed, his voice fading into the distance with each passing moment.


    Within mere seconds, the clatter of armor around the cages, along with the hysterical bellowing, disappeared altogether. Yet, before any of the slaves could acknowledge whatever happened, the voice of chains being pulled up resounded for the second time.


    Standing still, Lutiel waited, hearing another next few sentences of the merchant. Minutes passed before he finally caught the specific chime. Two metals hitting against each other, they bounced around in his head before another human bawled their throats out.


    Every time he hadn¡¯t been revealed, his heart began to shake. From what he counted earlier, there were around eight cages including his, but it was already the sixth. It almost felt as though they purposely kept him antsy.


    With each new slave being put on display, so did the amount of time needed before everything settled. The merchant gave more and more information each time, the shouts becoming louder every time.


    Once again, after the sobful voice disappeared from the arena, the chains started being pulled, and another cage was being released. Not his.


    Standing in the dark for yet another few good minutes, the man stood up-right, breathing deeply with a straight face.


    ¡°Jun mez li e ferai este cin, Tis gade ges. E lied¡¯o un dho lvere, haha!¡± For the first time since the beginning, the merchant laughed, completely breaking the image of him inside Lutiel¡¯s head.


    ¡°Lutiel Tvenai li ars¡¯e emi. Ars prebe kiz hanba tias¡¯o! Tias¡¯o! Dho Cinseria! Timaun un dho ligty!¡±


    His screams reverberated throughout the arena, met with rackety cheers and applause that didn¡¯t stop no matter what, even when the merchant began speaking.

 4. Battle Of The Slaves

    ¡°Tomi ges vidi? Dho mez? Ars le dho cin kiz qell haela un tias¡¯o. Aefrkozs¡¯i, arn li elie kocen reped. Ars¡¯e urpo yest bec mortevan, pre tias¡¯o!¡±


    Once again, while the cheers intensified to a deafening degree, new sounds became mixed in. Lutiel¡¯s ears perked up as he heard them, thinking he might have heard wrong.


    The crowd hooted the slave, either with laughter, ridicule, or threats. Sometimes, a concoction of them all.


    Yet, to the slave that had been divulged, it was nothing of the sort.


    ¡°Ahh, you stinking demons, is this all? I can¡¯t hear you! Eh? Eh? What was that? That tongue of yours barely makes any sense, you know?¡± he taunted the demons, seemingly working.


    Getting them heated, even the announcer spoke with an irked undertone.


    ¡°Pat ne jun gupi! Ars misla ars yist olvi mac nud tias¡¯o! Ars, dlar cin¡¯y, inbie yast e vota! Ars zceal bic vicad punt involni tika¡¯a, dlar dho lyine hael paova¡¯nu, jun cin bic¡¯yr dho cin¡¯ie.¡±


    For a full minute, Lutiel¡¯s ears shook from the resounding claps and cheers, only stopping when the next set of chains began being pulled.


    Amidst the confusing circumstances, light peeked through from under the cage he had been contained within.


    Lighting up his rosy-pale skin around the bare feet, Lutiel could finally see what was below him. Standing on the sand, filled with crushed up teeth, as well as patches of dried up blood, a foreboding premonition shook over his internal organs.


    Before he even knew it, the world beyond finally introduced itself to him.


    Turning his gaze around the place, he witnessed the crowd. So many demons had only ever revealed themselves to him on the battlefields. No, scouring through the round arena¡¯s seats, Lutiel couldn¡¯t estimate just how many of them there were.


    The words of the merchant not collecting inside his head, the white-haired man simply gazed across the countless demons, all of different looks.


    Covering each of the colors he could think of, scales, fur, or either nothing covered their dim skins. Donning the top of their heads, only a certain portion of their spawn gathered possessed a single horn. The rest were without one, vibrant hairs sat on top of their skulls.


    As for the one he swiftly searched for, she possessed two of them. Being the only demon in the whole space around the arena to bear such, no one would be able to deny her presence.


    Yet, as he finally gazed at her, his head immediately turned away. The demon lord¡¯s eyes, as well as his, met for a singular, brief period. Not expecting her to be locked onto him so potently, Lutiel turned to his namesake instead.


    Wearing the same clothes as any other slave, the tattered hemp shirt covered only the basic necessities, just for the sake of covering their bodies.


    From shoulders down to their knees, they appeared more like potato sacks. Nonetheless, under them, they were still naked, bare against the world.


    Glancing up at the open sky, seeing the skies that threatened to break loose any given moment, the other Lutiel¡¯s unshaven face smirked, exactly at the time as the merchant stopped talking.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so young. Have you just turned twenty?¡± He said, still reminiscing at the dark clouds. Conversing with the young man under the rhythmic beats of armor hitting against sand, his single eye that was left started to look towards the only slave other than him.


    ¡®Should I lie? Dammit.¡¯ Lutiel thought to himself, yet the answer was already coming, much to his surprise.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± a stern voice spread through the sandy arena, swiftly reaching both the light brown-skinned man on his right, as well as the unimpressed demons that were coming towards them.


    Scratching his head awkwardly, the leader¡¯s chaotic hair wobbled.


    ¡°Listen, I know we¡¯re about to beat each other to death, but can¡¯t we at least be nice about it?¡±


    ¡°We can, but will you keep the face up when I cave it in?¡± He said while the cusps of his lips lifted themselves uncontrollably, adding to his internal agony of not being able to prevent it.


    ¡°Whatever you say. Just know I won¡¯t go easy on you because you¡¯re younger than me,¡± muttering while letting out a smirk himself, the other Lutiel became restrained by one of the four guards that came there.


    ¡°Topfe gader¡¯yr!¡±


    With the same thing happening on the other side, the guards shouted at them before restraining both lest they do anything stupid.


    Feeling the cold fingers from the demon¡¯s gauntlets, Lutiel finally realized what actually was happening, the words of the human clearly resounding inside his head.


    ¡®Fight?¡¯


    Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be an auction? No, as he recalled, while looking around the arena, he didn¡¯t see any of the demons fighting over who would most likely buy the slave.


    Seeing the face of the merchant who stared at him while sitting inside a small, elevated room above the exits, it wasn¡¯t hard to realize what was happening.


    ¡®He must have bought me off of them for this very fight.¡¯Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Watching as the free guard put a key inside the heavy, metal shackles, immediately, as he was seemingly liberated, the demon that had a hold of him moved.


    The coarse sand mixed with fine gravel grazed across his cheek while his ribs felt a heavy hit to them. Though his breath halted for a second, it wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t handle.


    Already composing himself, his body started getting up when he saw him in the corner of his eyes.


    Thrown onto each end of the arena, spacious enough for eight slaves to easily fight and move around if need be, it was a matter of who would regain their balance first.


    While the white-haired man¡¯s knee was raising itself off the sand, he witnessed the man he talked with already running at him. Lutiel was the first to regain his balance, the other one, and he was only a few steps away from him.


    A fist pounced onto the brought up forearms, raised to protect the body. Drilling into them, Lutiel¡¯s frame cocked back, beginning to drift off into the sand below him.


    Unable to reply in a swift enough manner of time, a pain spread around his head, the strands of hair pulled on in bulk.


    Looking ahead through the forearms, the man saw his enemy paint a malign smile, right before a hirsute


    knee pervaded about the meek defense.


    Lutiel¡¯s head shook as two hard forces met, from the back and the front. As he hit the planks that rimmed around the arena, the knee squished in further, threatening to shatter his nose apart.


    The screams intensified as the other Lutiel backed away, antagonizing the crowd even further. Leaving the young man with the dripping nose full of warm, crimson liquid, he began to turn around, wavering his arms up and down.


    ¡°All that talk for three seconds, huh?¡± Muttering under his nose, the hairs at the back of his head swooshed somewhat, feeling the wind fortify behind him.


    The crowd silenced their hoots and disappointment, witnessing the sudden turnaround of actions.


    Twisting his face suddenly, Lutiel¡¯s eyes opened wide, a brisk sensation paralyzing his left cheek. And not long after, the other side also met its opponent.


    Skidding across the teeth-riddled sand, sent down powerlessly, he rolled away through the floor before getting onto his knees.


    ¡°I was sure you were sleeping already,¡± said the man, inspecting his jaw with a free hand while locking gazes with the man.


    Running through the sand as though the words were but a mere breeze, the roles had become reversed. A punch traveled through the air, right towards the face, or rather, the forearms that protected it.


    All of the force dissipated as the blocking muscles convulsed and rippled, the palish, brown man gnashing his teeth. The strength that was displayed right before him shook his body.


    Yet, seeing that the enemy slave was basically new to this, he quickly grasped the fist, under the unsuspecting eyes of Lutiel.


    His body moved towards the revolutionary, and before he could even respond with the awkward movements of his muscles, something suctioned air out of his lungs.


    No, he couldn¡¯t breathe all of a sudden when the rough, tightened palm hit around his throat. Although the sensation disappeared at the same time it came, it had given enough time to the man, who was already back on his feet, jumping with relaxed shoulders.


    ¡°Have you actually ever fought before?¡± With a sneer, he taunted the opponent who just barely finished gathering himself up before raising the arms without any viable technique.


    ¡®This feels so wrong,¡¯ he thought to himself while still looking at the man and his seemingly leisurely approach. Although it appeared as though he had him completely disregarded, Lutiel knew it was the other way around.


    He walked with a relaxed, confident face, his fists brought out away from the chin while hovering under it. Unlike the man, whose posture leaked countless opportunities, the knuckles that always faced him made Lutiel feel as though an impenetrable wall stood right before him.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m waiting,¡± he said, his fingers inviting him while he never lost his footing, his eyes constantly on the opponent.


    Although the demons were shouting something, Lutiel looked forward, his body responding to the taunts successfully.


    With just a step, he was already in the range to attack him, not wasting any moments in doing so. However, as his tightened fist followed the path to the other Lutiel¡¯s face, it was only met with his elbow instead.


    Unable to even see it, something moved right past him as his focus was on the blocked shot.


    For a fracture of a second, the light inside his eyes disappeared, his body threatening to fall over. Yet, regaining consciousness frighteningly fast, despite the spinning world in front of him, he stomped harshly on the sand before quickly stepping back, getting away from the opponent.


    The foot that cut through the air missed, but its owner didn¡¯t despair. Cutting off the increasing distance instead, he went in even further, not letting the young man act first.


    With his right arm placed higher than the left, it moved rapidly.


    Although under disorientation, Lutiel still replied to the attack. Angling his left arm, he blocked the path successfully, moving his right one at the same time. The man¡¯s body was open all of a sudden, or rather, the way to his stomach became disregarded.


    The demons watched with wry faces as the light-skinned man foiled the other¡¯s approach. With the right arm already halting its movement against the forearm, the left knuckle engulfed the upper left corner of the stomach, making the white-haired man stop immediately.


    His fist just barely grazed the enemy¡¯s cheek when his legs became free of strength. Incapacitated and breathless, along with the slanted horizon, the next thing he saw were the dark skies high above them.


    An agonizing pain spread through his stomach, paralyzing any of his movements, not sparing even the lungs. Radiating from his liver, the excruciating feeling didn¡¯t stop, devouring all of his focus when he should have kept looking at the man that began to choke him.


    With the tips of his fingers, Lutiel scratched the tightly gripping arms to no avail. The eyes threatened to roll all the way back of his head as the world once again began spinning around.


    However, in this state of a tightly pressing grasp around his neck, on the fleeting verge of his mind collapsing, no matter how much time had passed, Lutiel kept staring with a cold glare at the jaw-clenching man sitting on his waist.


    The booing and screams of discouragement only added to the man, tightening his grip as the neck threatened to crack under the hulking pressure.


    Still, gnashing his teeth even further as he received the blunt, almost dead look, all of a sudden, the other Lutiel blinked a couple of times.


    Hearing the hushed begging for air, someone huffing far away from him, the dark clouds in front of him span in circles individually. The screams creeping in around him only added to the hisses and rings his ears played out.


    Tasting the scent of iron inside his mouth, unable to feel a few of his teeth, the man slowly raised himself up, only to witness a man struggling, huffing for air desperately.


    Sitting with his wobbly head and torso, he failed to stand up correctly. Any time he tried, the legs shook as though a thunder hit them.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯


    His eyes shook while recalling the sensation that had been brought together with his slipped consciousness.


    Blood covered his fingers as the revolutionary Lutiel touched his face¡¯s left side, going in and out of the oral cavity with fearsome ease.

 5. A Losing Victory

    As minutes seemingly passed, the man behind the hammer-like strike finally caught his rhythm back, standing tall on the sand with two red streaks coming down from his nose.


    Looking at the man gathering himself up, they had once again faced each other, with the same stances as before. The only difference Lutiel could see were the shaky arms along with the loss of his fluent movement around the sand arena.


    As for the white-haired man, it was as though nothing came through him. No, after warming up through the quick battle, some of his lost senses had been reignited instead.


    No longer as awkward as before, both circled around each other, holding guards in separate ways. At the same exact moment, their striking fists moved.


    Both heads cocked back while their noses began bleeding profusely. Nonetheless, despite the sharp pain spreading around their faces, neither stopped moving.


    Bruises started to form rapidly around their faces, especially under the eyes. Simply looking at the severity of the injuries, any demon could tell which one had the upper hand in terms of strength.


    Deep purple, almost black spots started appearing around the increasingly swollen face of Lutiel¡¯s enemy. Battered like a standing dummy filled with straw, littered all around his face and upper torso, the wounds bled.


    However, to say the fight had been decided was wrong. Although Lutiel wielded greater power, the other one possessed a more profound technique.


    The calm face wasn¡¯t as pained as the opponent slave, yet the blood that dripped from every part of his face, as well as the sore muscles around his body painted a different picture.


    His left eyebrow bled as the skin above it had been cut open with a precisely delivered punch. His bottom lip was split apart, all while his nose had been completely displaced, broken by the man in his outrage of punches.


    Yet, no matter how many punches he pulled out over the five minutes of continued exchanges, under his rough heaves, the revolutionary kept on staring at the emotionless eyes of the man.


    His body wavering at the last second, it had already stopped responding. Falling down to the dirty ground below them, Lutiel¡¯s knuckles were tainted red, both from himself, as well as the man that was already fainted.


    The cheers intensified and resounded under the face of the merchant who no longer watched from the ostentatious chair, leaning on the railings instead.


    Keeping his gaze at the white-haired man, who went closer to the motionless body, after gesturing to the guards behind him, he suddenly spoke with a voice that beat out all of the cheers and screams of incentive.


    ¡°Junt li starki,¡± the man said to the slave, stretching out his hand.


    Just as Lutiel¡¯s feet were about to stomp the man¡¯s neck and break it, he stumbled. The air around the other Lutiel changed, turning stiff and rigid, something he expected the least.


    Feeling the encasing with his foot, as well as hearing the chants of countless demons, resuscitated anger within their voices, he gave up, walking away from the battle.


    His chest rocked heavily as he finally fell to the sand with his bottom, supporting his elbows on the knees as though they were about to fall off at any given moment.


    ¡°Kozs li jun? Tias ched nuen kiz vet¡¯uj ara¡¯o qell elie¡¯o ini!¡± Screamed one of the demons through the stands, most of them there sharing his opinion.


    With his single, black as the night itself horn, the merchant simply looked at them with an impassive gaze, not taking any of the words to heart.


    Instead, hearing all of the insults being hurled at him, he smiled proudly.


    ¡°Inbie geas vanr kiz vidi einc un ars¡¯o? Kiz vidi ars¡¯o privo morto einc?¡± He uttered, grinning by the end, at the same time silencing the rowdy crowd.


    ¡°Geas tomi¡¯in ilku juve ars¡¯o gan, tome geas? Ars meci lic¡¯yj timauna un Cinseri morto!¡±


    As he ended the sentence, the previously angry demons had already become obedient, even clapping for his great idea.


    ¡°Juve ars¡¯o gnijc froo tika¡¯a!¡± The merchant said loudly, catching the hearts of the demons, who started repeating after him like some sort of a cult.


    ¡°Juve ars¡¯o gnijc froo tika¡¯a!¡±


    ¡°Juve ars¡¯o gnijc froo tika¡¯a!¡±


    Escalating to the point of making Lutiel¡¯s ears ring, they needed a few minutes to finally calm themselves down, only for the merchant to mutter his last words.


    ¡°Tis ficium ogosi, jun li dho kinte un dho involnia tika¡¯a! Geas tome taca geas¡¯e zost,¡± he said, receiving prompt reactions. Countless demons began standing up from their seats, getting ready to leave through the arched entryways in the middle of the stairs leading to higher seats as well as below his room.


    However, just as they were about to leave the arena, a certain voice successfully elicited them to stay around for a bit longer.


    ¡°On kozs u ars¡¯o? Inli ars rekomia kiz bic e involni? Kozs li ars¡¯e vota?¡± Asked the single one with two black horns proudly hailing to the dark skies. Situated around her luscious, lengthy purple hair that flowed as she stood up from her place, their presence made any of the whispers and conversations wane to complete silence.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The right eyebrow of the merchant raised itself while stroking the second chin under his abundantly hidden jaw. Remaining silent for a few seconds, he finally spoke up, his tone singing of a greedy interest.


    ¡°Panyi Zyponia li seteke v pokuc¡¯yr ars¡¯o, tig?¡±


    ¡°Tis li,¡± said Zyponia, leaving the crowd speechless. Immediately, whispers spread through the arena like wildfire.


    Though, they really couldn¡¯t be called that way. After all, even the resting slave could hear them.


    ¡°Volda Zyponia li pokuc¡¯yr e involni? Kozs?¡±


    ¡°Jun li posslein!¡±


    ¡°TISA!¡± Suddenly, he screamed. The merchant of the slaves kept looking at the demon lord, his voice silencing those loudest of the demons.


    ¡°Cin zale dracar,¡± the merchant spoke, his eyes glistening as though a coin shone inside them.


    ¡°Dlar e involni? Li ars it un gove?¡± Voices of the crowd spoke in similar tones and meanings. The statement they heard from the merchant made their eyes look twice just to be sure.


    But, it was as real as it could be. Hearing the awkward silence engulf the whole space, even Lutiel got interested in the previous words.


    However, before he could truly understand the tongue itself, he saw something fly through the sky above him. A sparkle of light traveled quickly through the air, from one end to another.


    Having brought out her arm, Zyponia had thrown something and the merchant quickly caught it. Bringing it closer to his eyes, all the people and demons gathered could finally see what the object was.


    Shining bright despite the lack of a blazing sun, the round, golden coin ignited the envy of countless demons in the stands, all while a look of approval appeared in the eyes of the merchant.


    ¡°Ars li elie ges¡¯e,¡± he muttered under his nose while inspecting the coin, yet all of the crowd could hear him as clear as though right next to them.


    Still on the sand, with his shoulders drooped, Lutiel saw the previous four guards coming closer to him, a new pair of shackles in the hands of one of them. Although not as hefty nor lengthy as the first ones, he judged that they would still easily impede him off any movement whatsoever.


    Rapidly, his pained body was already forced to move, grasped and pulled on by one of the armored guards only to be restrained by him, similar to before fighting the other Lutiel.


    The one holding the shackles put them on the man¡¯s wrists so tight they started to cut into his skin, but he wasn¡¯t able to complain. Already moving towards the exit of the arena, two knights pushed down onto his nape while the rest stood on each of his sides.


    Escorted out by them, he quickly left the premise of the battle while his surroundings changed from rough sand and open-air to an enclosed hallway decorated with wood and bricks, enlightened by burning torches hanging off the walls.


    The knights didn¡¯t speak at all. He had to be dragged through the spaces free of the demonic crowd in complete silence. Sweat no longer poured out of him as it did during the battles, and with peace of heart came havoc of the mind.


    Gazing down at his feet, dotted with splashed blood, he could only recall the events that had just happened prior.


    ¡®I was going to murder another human, yet it felt like¡­ nothing. What the hell is happening to me?¡¯ He thought, his pupils wavering and constricting. Scattered in despair, the eyes didn¡¯t seem to believe the reality placed right before them.


    ¡®Am I still Lutiel? Am I still the same me? No, that can¡¯t be. There¡¯s no way. I can¡¯t even control my words anymore. My thoughts contradict my actions and the way I move this body. It¡¯s like learning everything anew.¡¯


    Unable to see his face, the knight guards couldn¡¯t witness the furrowed brows, much less the conflicted look in his eyes.


    However, just when the thoughts began corroding and occupying his head, he felt a sudden pain around his sides, the scenery changing once again.


    Hearing the creaking of the floor around him and looking at the bending planks beneath, he quickly gazed up at the person he had been thrown toward.


    His chubby face had a casual look to it, but all of it changed as quickly as his advance to this dusty room. A prominent smile appeared on him as he spoke in the human tongue.


    ¡°Why are you so dejected? Aren¡¯t you happy to have lived another day? You were even bought out by this beautiful lady over here,¡± he said while turning to his left, stretching out his arm towards the person, whose gaze was as cold as the winter itself.


    Hearing no response come out of his mouth, however, the merchant didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Still, I was really surprised to learn you were human. I could have sworn I¡¯ve seen a vampyr when I first saw you.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain he¡¯s not one of us?¡± The lady asked all of a sudden, to the slight surprise of the seller. Quickly putting on his smiling eyes of a merchant, he rubbed his hands while assuring the lady.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, madam Zyponia. I already checked. Although his hair and eyes are definitely special, they simply add to his ¡®exotic¡¯ price,¡± he added, glancing once again at the human with no name.


    With hair as white as a winter wolf and eyes reminiscent of an emperor¡¯s robe, he most definitely didn¡¯t look like a proper human, but that he didn¡¯t care for.


    ¡°It will be long before I get another one like you. Five silvers for one gold is definitely my new record,¡± laughing to himself sincerely, it only intensified at the words of the demon lord beside him.


    ¡°I can hear you.¡±


    ¡°Hoo, excuse me, my lady, however, the deal has already been made. We can¡¯t alter it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Just get the brand ready and let¡¯s move on,¡± deciding not to dig on the matter, Zyponia simply ordered him.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to say, miss Zyponia. The fire is already raring scaldingly. Kurto, put the branding iron into there. We, on the other hand, my lady, shall discuss the brand itself. You know, my lord, with the price that you paid, only the best of the best should fall into your hands,¡± ordering his guards, the merchant pretended to whisper with a hand over his mouth.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s better than the previous one you sold me,¡± Zyponia remarked, making a grimace appear on the merchant''s smile.


    ¡°That was only because of the slave¡¯s status, my lady. Unlike human ones, normal slaves can slowly corrode the brand inflicted upon them,¡± he said, the face already back to the radiant smile.


    ¡°Despite apparently being the ¡®best¡¯ grade?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. We can¡¯t bind them down completely, not the talented ones at least. However, for the human here, It¡¯s a whole different picture. With the platinum-grade contract that has your blood inside it, lord, there is no way he could ever escape.¡±


    ¡°I will be coming back for the coin if that isn¡¯t the case,¡± Zyponia added, looking at the stretched out hand in front of her before grasping it firmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been a pleasure working with you, miss Zyponia,¡± he said, promptly moving to his desk filled with countless miscellaneous objects, as though they were always ready to be sold.

 6. An Unknown World

    Moving through the countless items inside the drawers, after a minute of searching, he finally placed something on the overfilled desk.


    Sloshing around inside the diamantine vial able to fit fully into his palm¡¯s grasp, the liquid silver shone under the bright, white crystals in the center of the ceiling.


    Having already grasped the metal fountain pen that lay around on his desk, he mentioned to the demon lord while glancing at the man, whose body was firmly held still by three guards on the wooden floor.


    ¡°My lady, could you prepare the bloods? I¡¯m sure you remember the process.¡±


    Without waiting any further, Zyponia already started after catching the two vials he had thrown at her a second prior. Taking off the armored glove around right arm, she quickly got to her bare, unveiled skin.


    All of a sudden, around the pale blue surface, a small, circular incision appeared, right where the vein had been. Crimson blood began to flow out as though on command, making little sense to the man on the planks.


    His eyes opened wide as he saw the blood hover in the air, being placed precisely and obediently inside the small bottle. And before he even knew it, something pervaded inside of his body, a similar instance occurring and blood came gushing out from his cut open lip, only for the whole wound to close on itself while his blood had been stored away.


    Differing only slightly, with his blood carrying a faintly lighter shade in comparison to the one the demon lord possessed, they were swiftly handed over to the slave merchant, who began working on the slave contract.


    Taking an old piece of paper lying around his desk, the man first opened the vial with the silver liquid inside it. Then came the two bloods of varying colors. Firstly, he poured in all of the contents of the stronger blood inside, the one that came from the demon lord.


    Corking the silver and swirling it around, it almost dared escape from his grasp, but the demon merchant held it still, for a long enough time to let the two substances mix together. Not changing its silvery contrast in the least, the homogenous liquid met the second blood, reacting spontaneously the moment a single drop splashed inside.


    Fumes and vapor escaped from the interior as the liquid took on a fairly lighter color, one that reminded them of platinum. A single droplet was enough, to the risen eyebrow of the demon creating the contract.


    Nonetheless, finishing creating the concoction, the pen in his grip was dipped in the liquid, immediately placed onto the old paper fading into the mess on the desk.


    Although Lutiel couldn¡¯t see whatever it was that he was writing, looking at the orangish-white piece of cast iron inside the fireplace, any curious thoughts that could have still lingered vanished away into oblivion.


    Was it to make him realize his situation? To scare him into obedience? He had no idea, but he heard the human tongue be spoken into words he wanted to hear the least at the moment.


    ¡°Kurto, give me the iron. It¡¯s time to finish the process,¡± the merchant uttered, his words followed by a clutter of armor hitting the wooden floor.


    Grasping the wooden handle at the end of the branding iron, the guard named Kurto swiftly handed it over to his employer, who then placed it perfectly over the paper¡¯s drawings which depicted the same thing as on the tip of the iron.


    Precisely, with nothing being displaced, the man quickly jabbed the paper, making it burn away while only the silver liquid was left on the piece of metal.


    Moving from the place he stood at, the merchant stepped closer towards the fireplace, putting the iron inside the flames once again.


    With a solemn look, Lutiel gazed at the man holding up the branding iron. Looking at the glowing white piece of iron, he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be anything pleasant, but more than anything, he had been intrigued by the all the times they''d muttered out the name.


    ¡®Slave brand, huh? Is that how they numerate them? With fancy, shining metals and some scribbles?¡¯


    As he thought of the matter, it had already been kept in the flames for long enough.


    ¡°Where would you like the brand to be placed?¡± The merchant asked the lady standing close to him, to which she pondered for a while, eventually choosing an answer that made his eyelids open up.


    ¡°The area where his heart is, in the middle of the chest.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, my lord? Don¡¯t you want people to know he¡¯s a proper slave?¡±


    ¡°The collar will be enough.¡±


    Waiting a few seconds more, he eventually gestured to the guards, who flipped him over and slit the hemp shirt open, revealing the man¡¯s bare chest, as pale as it could be.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna sting a little,¡± he chuckled near the end while positioning the branding iron over the middle of his chest, the hands and arms perfectly still.


    Immediately, without waiting any further, an encompassing pain spread around his chest as Lutiel heard and felt the sizzling of his skin.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°ARRRGGGHHHH!¡± He screamed, however, the free guard quickly shut his mouth, making him bite his tongue.


    Only able to scream through a closed mouth, he did so, wiggling around to no avail. The armored guards kept him rigidly still, to the point of not being able to move a single inch.


    Left to the agonizing pain, it quickly vanished, however. After a few seconds of being pressed into his skin, the platinum branding left itself there permanently, embedded into him.


    Yet, despite the searing pain, suddenly, a wave of coldness washed over him there, numbing the place to the point of not feeling virtually anything other than imaginary pain.


    ¡°Hmm, inla ges scesc?¡± The merchant mused while looking at him. Then, he quickly turned to Lady Zyponia.


    ¡°Now, how about a polished iron collar? That¡¯s the most I can do with the current price. Any more I will demand a second payment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. However, don¡¯t include the chains. I don¡¯t want them.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s fine. He can¡¯t run off either way. The collar and shackles it is, then.¡±


    This time, he rummaged through the wardrobe on the right side of the room, filled with countless metals. Finding one that would fit the human best, he didn¡¯t take long.


    Taking out a shining piece of round metal with a keyhole at the center, the guards pulled him up at the merchant¡¯s command.


    Placed right over his neck and clasped together tightly, he promptly turned the key before handing it over to the possession¡¯s master.


    ¡°Here are the keys, this one for the collar, and this one for the shackles that are already on him. I hope you¡¯ll be satisfied with the purchase, miss Zyponia,¡± he said with a wide smile on his face, his hands itching to take even more money out of her, but he hid them behind.


    With that being said, the guards pulled up the bloody mess that he was, to no avail. Just when his feet touched the floor while their grasp left him, he fell down to his knees, gasping for air with a hand scratching over the brand in the middle of his chest.


    No matter how far he dug, even if he cut through the skin, feeling the smooth, metallic surface of the marking, nothing could be done. The now cold slave branding had become integrated with him, to which he could only breath harshly, reminiscing of the momentary sensations of hell moments prior.


    Standing on the side, Zyponia simply waited for his vital status to wane back to normalcy. No longer than a minute passed before Lutiel was able to finally gather himself, standing on his own. With a breath that somewhat came back to itself, the man no longer gazed down at this chest.


    Instead, he turned to the demonic lady, her pink eyes¡¯ glaring gaze pervading right through him. Washing over him like a brisk, cold water in the morning, the look made his hairs raise themselves.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she said, seemingly indifferent.


    ¡°Come on, boy! Move your bloody face from here!¡± With a good laugh, the merchant raised his voice, making his body flinch faintly.


    Looking back, he saw that the demon lord was already opening the door. With a thought not portrayed, he moved under the ridiculing gazes from the back.


    ¡®I guess this is my life now.¡¯


    Shutting the doors behind him, he simply watched the demon walk with her back turned to him. Hearing the clutter of an imposing armor shining in his eyes, he looked at the overlapping, fluid plates of shiny metal, allowing them to guide him naturally through the corridors.


    Inaccessible to the causal populace, the eerie silence accentuated by the cold attitude he was receiving had almost become as loud as the cheers a few minutes back.


    Keeping his mouth shut, however, within a few minutes, he had already seen the bleak world anew. The whistling of the wind assaulted him while the light peeked through the exit of what seemed like the back of the arena.


    At the same time, from all of his recollections, the place looked much more prestigious than most streets of many towns.


    His bare feet felt the hard touch of the bricks, unlike the slimy mud he could already see beyond the carriage that most likely belonged to the demon lord.


    Being the only one in this whole, fenced space, it had to be. And Lutiel didn¡¯t have to wait long for his answers. The gray-haired coachman sitting in the front soon stopped his break, standing up from the black leather seats.


    ¡°Yist ges¡¯e pekuc¡¯yr bec vrui¡¯en, tis¡¯e Panyi?¡± The old demon asked at the same time, his eyes unable not to see the white-haired, collared man.


    ¡°Tig, ars oemre setek¡¯yr. Jes ges la vinta¡¯yr, ars li e intimau,¡± she replied, making the man¡¯s hidden eyes open up slightly.


    Looking at the young man with his potently green eyes, he quickly turned back to his priorities.


    ¡°Tis vidi,¡± he said while stepping down from the driver¡¯s seat before coming over and opening the magnificent, glossy black doors of the carriage.


    Despite standing right before the coach¡¯s interior, Zyponia didn¡¯t enter immediately.


    ¡°Ars tane bic chod¡¯yr zy tis¡¯e,¡± she uttered, making the old demon nod his head lightly.


    Shivering as the thin piece of clothing on him fluttered with the wind, Lutiel watched the demon lady step inside the carriage, only to stand on the bricks without doing anything.


    ¡°Take a seat inside, the lady is waiting for you,¡± the coachman said with an unimpressed eye, but it sparked a quick reaction from him.


    With his battered body, he moved swiftly, stepping inside the carriage because it threatened to freeze over. Sitting opposite to each other, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help, but stay silent while the demon lord kept looking at him.


    Soon after, the doors shut loudly with the horses beginning to neigh their way through. Looking out of the window, he could finally see the scenery changing as the carriage started moving.


    Even though they were riding on hard bricks, his body only felt the comfortable cushions of the interior. Soon, going out of the merchant¡¯s property, leaving the black gates, they joined the mellow traffic of the road.


    More than carriages, there were demons on foot and horses going about their way, dirtying their steps in the soft ground below.


    However, as they delved deeper into the main street, the light inside Lutiel¡¯s eyes flickered on its own. Seeing in full scope whatever was playing out halted his breath.


    There were more of them compared to the demons, at least on this street, yet they were being dominated. Lutiel¡¯s face puckered at the plethora of chained and collared up humans wobbling through the muddied grounds while barely holding up the strength.


    He kept his gaze onto them the same way Zyponia kept her onto him. They walked in front of their demonic masters, whose long chains pulled the slaves back whenever they misbehaved or didn¡¯t hold up to their brethren.


    Though, sometimes, the demons simply played with them for the thrill of it.

 7. She, The Demon Lord

    One of such, without a horn, pulled on one of the many chains in his grasp. His group of slaves were holding together a large, wooden beam, but the pull was all it took for it to fall down and dirty itself. Immediately, seeing as the bottom of the building material had been tainted, the demon released his irritation.


    All around them, countless demons and slaves looked at them, proceeding to do nothing. Instead, the human-powered carriages and material-carrying slaves kept on moving, dim lights fading around their eyes.


    Although his sight wavered, there was nothing coming out of his mouth, the face remaining virtually unresponsive.


    ¡°You seem surprised,¡± the demon lord said suddenly, making his head jerk towards her abruptly. Looking at the pair of eyes staring him down, Lutiel naturally replied, whether he liked it or not.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Despite hearing the tone of his voice, her mien remained the same.


    ¡°To see your kind fall down this way.¡±


    Her voice spiraled inside his head while he looked back and forth between her face and what the windows depicted beyond them. He didn¡¯t reply, but she cared little for that.


    ¡°He did say you lost a part of your memories while hiding away. Do you know how long you were inside that cave?¡±


    Lutiel clenched his teeth before she even finished. The words he heard from that red-skinned demon repeated inside his head.


    ¡°N-no, I have no idea. I don¡¯t even know what day, month, or even year it is right now,¡± he said through gritted teeth, battling hard against what his body wanted to speak out for him instead.


    ¡°I see. In the human calendar, it would be the tenth day of Herolian of the 917th year. Does that make you recall something?¡±


    ¡®Huh? No, no, no, there¡¯s simply no way. Is she saying ten years have passed by just like that?¡¯ As he thought to himself, the size of his pupils drifted off while the lids themselves opened up.


    Was she lying? But, what would she gain from that when she had no idea who he was? His head was already a mess from the previous events today, but now, the mind had practically turned into a puddle.


    Much to his surprise however, he couldn¡¯t think much of it, a striking hot sensation spreading from the middle of his chest. And it didn¡¯t stop.


    Once it appeared, it only began to intensify. Quickly looking up, he quickly saw an image that made his bones turn cold.


    The chilly glare coming off Zyponia made his skin tighten up, his hair starting to stand as her voice reached his ears.


    ¡°I asked you a question,¡± her voice blossomed inside of him, but in the worst way possible. Instantly, a regretful response had been generated through his head.


    ¡°What of it?¡± He asked a question, an indifferent look to his face, though it quickly changed once the cheeks had been left with an imprint of her metallic palm on them.


    Crashing against the inner walls of the carriage, it did nothing to sway it, the man being the one that took all of the damage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever speak to me that way again. If you do, I won¡¯t hesitate to waste my strength,¡± she said through unchanging eyes, simply looking at the red expanse coming out on his cheeks and the left side of his face.


    With his face turning as red as a tomato, he put his hand over the beat-up area. However, it had done no wonders.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do it a second time, master,¡± he said, forcing the words out from biting the teeth.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding again. Come closer,¡± whispering, she kept looking at the right brow that had been once again opened from her strike just now.


    Although his body tried to resist, Lutiel sat closer to her obediently, though he first straightened himself from the hit to the side. Gnashing his teeth the moment he did, wrinkles appeared on his face.


    Feeling something violently move out from his cut skin above the eyebrows, he blinked twice a few seconds later, wondering whether it was real.


    Touching all over his face, he could no longer feel the crusty, dried up streams of blood on it, soft skin welcoming him instead. Although there were still some swollen and bruised areas from the fight, most of the open wounds were covered with dried blood to stop the further bleeding.


    Only his broken and puffed nose was left, thanking her inwardly. Just the slap to untainted skin from half a minute ago brought him a world of painful nightmares. If he were to experience the same with the fractured bone, he wasn¡¯t so sure about keeping awake.


    Fortunately, it seemed that the demon wasn¡¯t some miracle performer, other than somehow manipulating the blood around his face.


    ¡°You will get your nose treated at the manor, but you shouldn¡¯t feel too much pain around it,¡± she said, making him nod in response. Just like she muttered, a cold sensation quickly followed, slightly numbing the pulsating, broken bone of the nose.


    ¡°Thank you, m-master,¡± he said, as though eating through sand. Battling himself not to say the words his body wanted to almost made a few of the veins on his face pop, but nonetheless, he got through with it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s a mere necessity to care for one¡¯s slave. Otherwise, it would be a plain loss of money. Especially in your case,¡± she said bluntly, a clear look of indifference piling on her.


    ¡°...¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak, awaiting another statement from her mouth. Not having any real path he wanted to partake in with her, silence had become his best friend.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°That being said, it¡¯s not only about money with you. That strength of yours, to be exact. It definitely wasn¡¯t that of a normal human. That¡¯s why, I would like to know. How much do you remember about yourself? I mean, you couldn¡¯t have lost all of your memories, no?¡±


    Although it wasn¡¯t intentional, so far, he had only been lying to the demons he met after waking up. Whether he wanted it or not, his body spoke for him.


    However, right now, feeling the tightening feeling around his chest, Lutiel had his doubts about revealing any sort of lies.


    Holding back any imprudent words, he revealed what he knew. The absolute truth.


    ¡°M-my name. I know my name.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Your name? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s Lutiel. Just Lutiel,¡± he muttered, once again through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Hmm? Lutiel?¡± She wondered for a second before adding. ¡°Is that all you remember? Are you sure you haven¡¯t lied to your capturers?¡± Zyponia asked for confirmation.


    Gathering the thoughts for a while, in the brief period of silence, Lutiel stared into her pink eyes, letting out a clear answer.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, his chest no longer needing to be attended.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s enough, then,¡± she said, finally turning her gaze away from his, looking at the gradually changing images of the windows.


    Left in a scape of silence, Lutiel also looked out of the windows, being the only thing that made him stop thinking about becoming her slave.


    However, even that went to the gutter once she spoke a minute later.


    ¡°From now on, you will serve as my servant.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Or rather, a servant inside my mansion. Your role will be further explained by the maids once we get there, however, it¡¯s not the main reason why I bought you,¡± Zyponia stated, her head still turned to the window on her left.


    ¡®So a slave lackey, huh?¡¯ While he thought to himself, the demon lord began looking at him anew with the same, unresponsive eyes as ever.


    His hands inside the shackles vibrated slightly while the muscles around his jaws became slightly pronounced.


    ¡°Does it have to do with my strength, master?¡± Lutiel asked, naturally mimicking the demeanor his new master had been giving off. However, in contrast to him, as she heard the question, a faint crease across her lips raised itself before calming down.


    ¡°Your strength? A part of it decided that, I admit. Mostly however, you interested me and I needed an assistant just when you fell down from the skies at the perfect opportunity. So, I bought you.¡±


    ¡°Assistant? Why?¡±


    ¡°You will understand soon enough. I just wanted you to know something about your new life here,¡± she spoke, soon losing interest in his face and looking outside of the windows.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know anymore.¡¯ With a single statement in his head, Lutiel also found himself staring out of the windows, gazing at all the different humans dragging demons through the mud.


    With all of the convoluted events happening in the past few hours, he had a hard time taking all of it in as a reality. All of it simply seemed to be a continuation of the long dream, of that darkness he drifted through.


    Glancing at a couple of humans that fell at a demon¡¯s whim, being pulled with the chains and dropping large stone slabs on their bodies, Lutiel¡¯s eyes retained their new, composed look.


    Observing the world ten years in the future, before he knew it, the landscape had already changed, from the bleak, dirty bricks that made up the buildings to the modicum trees waving in the distance, long, pale grass blades swooshing together with them.


    Looking at the hills and mountains in the far distance that barely showed themselves beyond the murky skies, Lutiel¡¯s head moved up slightly. He wanted to get a better view of the land he recalled from the past.


    Even if the cities were to change because of the demons, either artistically or be swept away from the maps, the world itself was bound to remain.


    ¡® At least you never change, do you,¡¯ muttering inwardly, the images of the landscape quickly changed, a certain building appearing in the horizon as the carriage took a detour from the main road firmed by countless merchants and horses.


    Gradually appearing closer with each passing minute, they couldn¡¯t see the outline of the mansion anymore because they were heading straight at it, up the stone brick road on the low, sparsely forested hill.


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t taking over the king¡¯s royal palace fit a demon lord like her better? Wondering while feeling the carriage slowly losing its pace, his gaze invited Zyponia.


    ¡°This is the mansion,¡± she said, facing him with her eyes before something made the right side of his body flinch.


    Opening up the doors, the coachman spoke in a human language, and Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but thank for the consideration internally.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, my lady.¡±


    Standing by the side of the doors with his arms behind his back, the old man awaited the lady¡¯s leave from the carriage, along with the man she brought inside.


    Once again, before he could do anything, the wind quickly made his practically bare body shiver. Still, following the demoness closely, he stepped on the cold, stone slabs that made up the ground beyond the black gates.


    Looking at the small fountain in the middle of the estate, along with strangely vivid, verdant gardens around the supposed, autumnal mansion, something felt eerie.


    It felt and it could be seen by his own two eyes. Everything was being cared for, to the utmost detail. No branch or a leaf came out from the straight wall of greens, cut perfectly.


    The whole place itself was as clean as it could be. Almost as though he was stepping on freshly paved roads.


    Even though the goosebumps around his skin made him want to immediately jump inside the mansion, Lutiel could do nothing, but wait, especially while looking at the set of demonic maids awaiting the head of the house.


    ¡°Panyi Zyponia, ges la nuen. Vitacu vte,¡± said the lady standing at the front. Blending in together with her hair, the black and white maid uniform accentuated her silver gray complexion. Correcting the glasses that hung on the nose bridge, the thin chains around her nape rustled.


    Lutiel stared at her, the maid reciprocating his gaze.


    ¡°Tis li,¡± Zyponia said back to the only maid that didn¡¯t bow at her appearance. Instead, she was mostly focused on the man behind her lady.


    ¡°Tomi tis zaipi?¡±


    ¡°Ars li e involni, e intimau cin,¡± the blue-skinned demon replied without batting an eye. Although the reveal made every maid standing there widen their eyes, the one standing in the front quickly recollected herself, already speaking up.


    ¡°Tis¡¯e Panyi? La ges secur u jun? Tis le gotovelie teug¡¯yr cinroche v junt poner,¡± she said, glancing at the human with the corner of her eyes, but keeping most of her attention on the lord before her.


    ¡°Ges tomi pripres kiz ara¡¯o v tis¡¯e timaun, tem. Tis gotovelie pekuc ars¡¯o.¡±


    A few seconds of silence engrossed the space, only broken apart by the horses nickering to the sweet aroma carried by red apples that the old coachman was giving them.


    With all five of the maids practically glaring at the human with cloud-like white hair, down at his displaced, swollen purple nose, the one in the front eventually sighed before moving to the side.


    ¡°Please come in, my Lady. It¡¯s chilly out here,¡± she said, sending one last glance at the human barely holding back the chattering teeth.


    Hearing and seeing the armor clatter in movement before him, Lutiel moved immediately, right after her. When he finally entered the mansion, only then did the maids follow them. Walking through the excessively large doors of the dukedom¡¯s largest palace, the maid that spoke with Zyponia closed them.

 8. Faint Whispers Of The Lost

    ¡°Get naked,¡± the maid with chain glasses blurted out, abruptly making Lutiel¡¯s eyes raise themselves at her. Looking at the blank stare he was receiving from the woman, he kept to himself for a couple of seconds.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°At lady¡¯s request, a bath had been prepared, as you can see,¡± she said, turning her face away from him and gesturing at the foamy tub, at the same time revealing a black bun that veiled most of her head.


    ¡°I know, but I can wash myself alone.¡±


    ¡°Not with that injury, you can¡¯t. How are you supposed to use your arms when it¡¯s displaced this badly? Not to mention washing that crusted and gunky hairs of yours.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did you also lose your sense of humor along with the memories?¡± The maid asked with a raised eyebrow, standing in the slippery, steamy baths still in her uniform. Not caring for wetting the black fabric, she instead lowered her foggy glasses at the man in front of her.


    ¡°Maybe. I can still bathe myself,¡± he replied, looking at the porcelain bathtub with metallic, ornate legs holding it up.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for different reasons, that nose of yours for example. I¡¯m responsible for a lot of things, healing included. Also, that long hair of yours needs some cutting up.¡±


    Her voice resounded in his ears. Turning his sight back and forth at the bath and the maid, he stood there, mute.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Asking the human seemingly frozen in place while staring at her, the maid didn¡¯t seem to realize what he meant.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you turn around for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Why should I do that? Are you saying you¡¯re going to get aroused in front of a demon? How flattering of you, human,¡± she muttered while covering her mouth, but her eyes didn¡¯t move a single bit.


    Not uttering a single word more, he complied, grabbing the hems of the hemp dress at the bottom before raising it, revealing the body that had become bruised in multiple places.


    Nonetheless, rather than looking at the purple spots or the platinum brand, the gaze of the maid seemed much lower than that, especially low for Lutiel to feel something creeping up his spine.


    ¡°Tis¡¯e. That¡¯s surprising,¡± she said while one of her eyebrows arose again, the voice of a cloth dropping to the floor distracting her back to normal. Quickly looking back, the woman looked at the man, who already started lowering his body inside the tub.


    Displaced by his body, water flowed out from the bath vehemently, only to be caught by the drains fit discreetly in the tiled floor.


    With his back facing her, Lutiel heard the loud footsteps coming from his right, the one that started all of this in front of him a second later.


    The foam crawled up all the way to his battered collarbones, daintily grazing his skin while he released a deep breath.


    ¡°Is it too hot?¡± The maid asked, her arm ready to move towards the long, brass faucet rooted beside the tub.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s good.¡± He said whilst moving around in the warm water, trying to feel for the liquid which reminded him of the dark space at the back of his mind.


    Finding himself thinking about it more often than he would rather, the movement in the warm waters began to recede.


    Coming to a complete halt, the man no longer looked through the dimly lit baths, instead shutting himself off momentarily while recalling the words his new master spoke to him.


    ¡®Ten years, huh? Were those dark surroundings the time I spent in that membrane?¡¯ He thought to himself with blank eyes that stared into nothing. Having the maid observing him, however, he couldn¡¯t keep the look forever.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna hurt a bit, so try not to move around too much,¡± she said, distracting him from whatever he was thinking about back to the present.


    Catching a movement with his eyes, Lutiel immediately broke away from his head before centering on the sneaky maid.


    ¡°What is?¡± He asked, instinctively grabbing hold of the hand coming towards his face.


    ¡°We have to adjust your nose if we want it to heal properly. Unless you want to keep having trouble breathing,¡± she said, keeping her eyes locked onto his. ¡°So, how about you let me free?¡±


    Sparking something inside, the grip around her wrist lessened. Being allowed to have her way, she immediately used the chance, grabbing onto the swollen skin while making his head cock back in response, a sharp sensation striking him.


    ¡°I told you something,¡± she said, having grasped the reddened nose with her fingers before stopping at his sudden agitation.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared,¡± Lutiel said, tensing his body. ¡°You can start now.¡±


    Both to alleviate the incoming pain, as well as to restrain his blabbering mouth, he grabbed tightly onto the edge of the bath, the already naturally pronounced muscles of his upper body further outlining themselves.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned as the maid fully grasped the nose with her fingers. Clenching his jaw and closing the eyes, Lutiel¡¯s upper body began visibly convulsing as he fought off the pain.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Nonetheless, as time passed, with the girl¡¯s hand working its magic, he could hear an immediate ¡®crack¡¯ once she moved it.


    Tainting the waters through the dense foam, droplets of blood started flowing down his chin like a stream, but she wasn¡¯t done.


    Taking hold of his face with both hands, she began pushing the bone back into its place, a procedure no less than a few seconds long, yet enough for the man to wish he was back in the arena.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all done. You¡¯re lucky the cartilage hasn¡¯t been shattered,¡± she said while lightly slapping his face with the tips of her fingers. Washing off the blood gathered on them, the man finally opened his eyes and breathed deeply, grimacing to the pulsating pain radiating around his nose and a bit above his right brow.


    ¡°What is this?¡± He asked, oblivious to the faint smile he was receiving. Gently poking his nose with the tips of his fingers, he was quickly stopped, taken hold of by the maid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. It will stop soon anyways. We can¡¯t have a servant of Lady Zyponia embarrass her with being improper, so I sped up the healing process.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ending his desperate search for breath, he asked vainly, no explanation coming out of her. Rather, he felt his shoulders being grabbed, the body moving with no volition of the mind.


    Making even more water flow out of the tub than before, the maid turned him to the side of the bath before submerging him down to his shoulders. Then, under the speechless gaze and reactions of the man, she took all of the hairs grazing the floor before putting them inside the soapy water.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it anyway. Let¡¯s continue with something else, shall we?¡± Asking while rubbing his head, she watched as he stared at her, directly into her eyes.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I can do it myself?


    ¡°So you say, yet you haven¡¯t nudged a finger,¡± she said while flashing him a cheeky grin alongside a wink.


    Hearing a light chuckle permeate the space as he looked away, glancing at the light yellow crystal that illuminated the baths from the ceiling, Lutiel¡¯s head dandled involuntarily. Replying to the girl massaging his hair with the soap from the corner of the tub, his body was soon raised as she needed access to the soaked hairs falling on his back.


    With the time fleeting by in peace, the silence only interrupted by the foam forming and moving around the surface. Looking ahead of him, at the doors of the baths, Lutiel struck up a conversation, without the need for tensing his jaw in efforts to control himself.


    ¡°Are you also a slave?¡± he asked suddenly, prompting the maid to stop her movements briefly.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied briskly before going back to scrubbing his head. ¡°Neither are any of the servants, including the old coachman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one? But master Zyponia said she bought one from the merchant previously.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± her voice soured. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here. As a replacement for the previous slave.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°She ran away after breaking off her slave brand,¡± the maid spoke slowly, making sure to distribute the cleaning soap in every crevice of his hair.


    ¡°She was a demon, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. We have you now. And since Lady Zyponia bought you, it must mean something.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said, his head pulled on silently by the woman behind him.


    Dispersing in the warm liquid, the foam around his hairs dissipated and he was promptly put back in the original place. With a slick and glossy, lustrous mane even whiter than before, it caught the full attention of the maid.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t an albino, yet your hair is as fair as the purest snow. It¡¯s a shame we have to cut it,¡± she said while moving her fingers through the thick strands. ¡±Can you sit like you did the first time?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± replying tersely, the man moved through the murky waters, which lost a lot of their foamy top, gaining the dirt from his head and body instead. Leaning his back on the side wall of the bath, he soon heard the clicking of scissors after the maid rustled through some fabrics.


    Taking hold of all the hairs, she lay them flat against the tub and the floor, quickly moving the metallic scissors.


    Once again, finding himself staring against the walls and nothing else, Lutiel exchanged some words with her.


    ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°Although a bit blunt, I figured you would never ask. It¡¯s Raeyine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lutiel, if master hasn¡¯t already told you.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve now exchanged names, I will tell you this. Just call her Lady Zyponia. She doesn¡¯t like other names, even if she doesn¡¯t show it.¡±


    Not replying for a while, she continued to cut his hair, having already chopped off more than half of its original length.


    ¡°Alright. I will,¡± he said calmly, his head lowered itself towards sparse patches of water. ¡°Thank you, Raeyine.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re welcome.¡± The maid prolonged her reply, having momentarily cut in the wrong spot, though she didn¡¯t need long to fix the mistake.


    Waiting out the rest of the haircut in silence, he stayed in the same spot, trying to move through the warm waters as little as possible.


    ¡°And, it¡¯s done. Quite good, if I say so myself. Here, take a look,¡± Raeyine said, grabbing the reflective, small ellipse mirror from the same spot where the soap had been, she quickly put it in front of Lutiel.


    All of a sudden, his body froze, looking at the man right in front of him. Widening his eyes, he stared at the reflection in disbelief.


    The same cold demeanor as him, the same composed look in his eyes, the same indifference. All identical as him.


    Looking at ¡®himself¡¯ in the mirror, his brows furrowed as he saw a bloodied face. The lips parted as a crimson liquid began flowing, the platinum hairs disheveled and dirtied from sweat.


    Looking at Raphael, Lutiel¡¯s body shook as he clutched his head, quickly moving his gaze away, down to the waters, only to see the same image reflected in them.


    ¡°Lutiel? Is everything alright? Lutiel? Hello?¡± The noise spread through the space of the bath, but it didn¡¯t seem to reach his ears.


    The maid quickly took away the mirror as her brows furrowed in distress. Grabbing his chin, she quickly lifted it, her face less than a hand¡¯s reach close to his.


    ¡°Lutiel!¡± She raised her voice, finally catching his attention.


    The quivering soon receded as the man¡¯s ability to control his muscles came back, taking the hands off his head.


    Looking at the maid with muddled eyes, he quickly gazed down at the waters once again.


    This time, instead of Raphael, a different person was reflected. Someone that could be mistaken for him yet completely different from the old hero he saw previously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just... My head hurts,¡± he said while looking back at the creasing eyebrows of the maid.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You were meant to rest because of your injuries anyways,¡± Raeyine muttered, moving her hand towards his arms. ¡°Can you move by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± he replied, gripping the hand tightly.

 9. A New Life

    ¡°Goodnight. May your dreams be the sweetest.¡±


    ¡°Ahh! Ahh! No!¡± The soft voice reverberated through the skies, yet it hadn¡¯t reached the soft clouds. Raising his body abruptly, the boy sat up under the tree¡¯s shade, eyes widened to the very limit.


    Scouring through the lands all around, his heaving chest soon calmed down. Glancing at the hills graced by the sun¡¯s gentle embrace, he watched as the grass danced along to the windy plays.


    ¡°That dream again?¡± A sulky voice asked, to which the boy looked around.


    A little girl sat beside him, on the delicate blanket he also took part of with his body. Enlightened by the sun, it was almost as though her hair had been glowing, the boy unable to get his gaze away from the golden streaks waving down her face.


    The dress she wore blended in with the hairs, flowing on her dearly, as if she was born to don such luxurious clothes. Compared to the simple, almost tattered shirt he wore, filled with shreds of the fabric when looking closer, it was weird seeing the two sit so close together.


    Next to her, accentuating her person, a staff much longer than her own body lay freely, always within the reach of her arms. With a clear, blue gem at the very top of the ornately engraved wood, it denied any resemblance to the weapon on the boy¡¯s side.


    With a blade chipped in countless places, as well as a wooden shaft that threatened to splinter apart at any moment, the weapon couldn¡¯t even be used in a proper battle.


    ¡°Yes, that one,¡± said the boy, with drooping eyebrows that almost hid his eyes fully.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If not for the priests, I would have cleared it already,¡± the girl said, a reaction quite similar to that of the boy.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    "The priests are right. You shouldn¡¯t waste your powers,¡± he added, fuelling the awry look on her small face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste!¡± Her eyes glared at him, deeply resonating with the boy, who immediately stopped his mouth along with any movements of the body.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of having this power if I can¡¯t use it for those that need it?¡± She asked, clenching her fists together with the soft cushion below her. However, for a while, only rustling of the leaves above answered her cries.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He replied at the same time as a large cloud veiled the light. ¡°But, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡±


    The girl raised her head, looking up at the boy. Lifting the shy, slumped shoulders, she opened her mouth. ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°You know, that the priests keep you so restrained. You can¡¯t do anything without their surveillance.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you were talking about that,¡± she muttered, lowering her head once again. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not try? If you wanted to, I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t be able to retaliate,¡± he proposed, only receiving a light shake of her droopy head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, whether you think otherwise,¡± she added before briskly raising her eyes, at a sudden rustle of the blanket.


    The boy stood up from his place, tightening his fists. ¡°Then, if you can¡¯t, I will tell them myself!¡± He shouted through the space before grabbing the spear near his left leg.


    ¡°What are you thinking about all of a sudden? Weren¡¯t you still asleep a few seconds ago?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow, but it wasn¡¯t enough to persuade him.


    Tightly gripping the wooden shaft, he placed himself on the grass while raising his spear, just barely missing the branches above him. ¡°The world waits for no one! So, I will train hard enough for the priests to acknowledge me!¡±


    Whilst finishing his words, the metallic blade cut through the air, coming down from above as he performed the slash.


    ¡°You¡­¡± she said, her eyes plastered on the boy while he continued to swing the spear. ¡°You really are an obstinate one, huh?¡±


    Standing up herself, she watched as droplets of sweat began forming on his forehead, quickly trickling down his nose and face.


    Observing him while standing still, letting the clouds fly by in the sky, she suddenly said something which made his body halt the slash, halfway done.


    ¡°Why?¡± The girl asked, the lips spreading outwards to form a smile.


    With creasing eyebrows, the boy turned suddenly, moving his whole body with the spear to the right.


    His body stopped moving as he witnessed the scene right before him.


    ¡°Why did you kill me?¡± She asked, a faint droplet of a dark red liquid coming out of her lips. The smile soon receded as she opened her eyes wide, the eyelids quivering.


    With a trembling arm, she traced across her stomach, a crimson stain extending itself from the spear¡¯s tip in the middle.


    ¡°Ah, ah, no, I, I-I,¡± he stuttered, his hands shaking while in grasp of the shaft. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Her fingers tainted themselves with her own blood as she stared down at the spear pierced through her.


    ¡°You killed me, Lutiel. Why?¡± She asked once again, making his pupils shake.


    Dropping the grip while crouching, he swiftly grabbed his head, shouting. ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t kill you! It wasn¡¯t me, no. I didn-¡±


    The voices reached him, all of different tones and shapes. Staring at the glowing pair of eyes before him, he heard the people ask him one question.


    ¡°Lutiel, why did you kill us?¡±


    His eyes opened abruptly, to the utmost point they were capable of. Glancing at the pale ceiling ahead of him, Lutiel remained in the same spot, under the blaring rays scattering across the interior.


    Moving them around, he quietly scoured through his surroundings, doing so a few times before working any muscle whatsoever.


    Grasping the duvet placed onto him and taking it off, the planks beneath his feet creaked as he sat and stood up.


    Swiftly, he approached the desk with a lone chair next to it, taking whatever clothes someone had placed on top.


    Touching the black fabric of the attire, although he hesitated for a second, Lutiel still quickly grabbed it, revealing further pieces hiding under the top one.


    Looking back and forth at the clothes on the ground and in front of him, having unfolded the one he grabbed first, Lutiel sighed inwardly before hanging the jacket on the chair.


    Grabbing the socks matching shades with the first piece, he put them on and quickly moved to the trousers, having no issues there either.


    With the starkly tinted shirt covering every bit of his upper body, with no parts hanging loose, he tightened the belt around his waist before getting to the long tie.


    This time, however, his hands weren¡¯t as fortunate. Lying on the neck, below his collar, with a bulge on the side that couldn¡¯t be untied, he promptly took it off and stored it inside the pockets of his pants.


    Watching as the sun started to peek in through the sole window higher while putting the clothes on himself, Lutiel stopped once the white gloves were put on his hands.


    Dropping down onto the bed, he sat there, staring at the door ahead, as well as the clothes he had just put on. Stretching out his arms and glancing down, he moved them around, feeling for the fabric.


    ¡°Maybe a butler is the better call,¡± he whispered, sighing at the end. With one last look at the doors and the landscape beyond the window, Lutiel stood up and headed for the room¡¯s exit.


    However, just a step away from the doorway, as he was about to grab the metallic handle, they moved outwards. Fluttering his hairs, the squeaking hinges soon revealed the person blameworthy.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up already? I was just about to wake you,¡± Raeyine said, not moving her gaze anywhere other than the suit he put on by himself.


    ¡°First time?¡± She added before he could say anything.


    Nodding his head, she let out a gentle breath before moving closer and grabbing his waist.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just let the belt wobble around like that,¡± correcting his attire with a few remarks, the maid soon stopped, looking around his neck. ¡°Where is the tie?¡±


    Rummaging through the right pocket of his trousers, Lutiel soon brought out the dark piece, blinking at the quiet snort she released.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± letting out a quick apology, she took hold of the tie before untying it back to the intended look. ¡°Watch how I do it.¡±


    He looked up at the girl beginning to surround the bottom of his neck with the dark tie. Weaving one of the two pieces against the other twice, she quickly pulled down the one hanging free towards the floor.


    Before any of them could blink, the maid had finished. Putting the long tie into his waistcoat, which gilt buttons she correctly rearranged, Raeyine also buttoned up the jacket, pulling onto the trousers to straighten them out in certain places.


    ¡°Here, done. As I told you before, we can¡¯t have you looking improper,¡± the maid said while swaying her finger at him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to.¡± With a rigid voice, he lowered his head down at the quickly reordered clothes.


    ¡°I did. You¡¯re new here, after all. I¡¯ll let the first couple of lessons be free,¡± she glanced at him while letting out a smirk. ¡°Now, come with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you wanted to wake me up for?¡±


    She nodded her head and spoke. ¡°Since all of the girls are still sleeping, I figured I could inform you about your duties during breakfast.¡±


    At the mention of the meal, Lutiel immediately grasped himself by the stomach, which started producing riveting noises, at least to the girl who kept her gaze there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t starve yourself and come,¡± she said, inviting him with her right hand before turning around to the door.


    ¡°Thank you, again,¡± he replied while starting to follow the back of the maid.


    Turning right when he closed the door to his room, they began venturing through the corridor. Although she heard his sincerity, Raeyine didn¡¯t gaze back.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. You will need some help since these are your first days, so feel free to ask away,¡± she said while constantly walking through the roughly enlightened space. The sun just barely visited through the windows, settling in with a dim glare.


    Looking at the cracks near the same floors as in his room, his gaze scoured through the corridors, all while keeping the same pace with the one he traced behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit shabby, don¡¯t you think?¡± She suddenly asked, with her back moving steadily the same it did a few moments past.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The servants¡¯ quarters. Don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s kind of old and worn-out? Not something befit our Lady?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Lady Zyponia doesn¡¯t live in this part of the building, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, no. Her rooms are on the top floor, I was simply wondering about something.¡± She shook her head after the words.


    ¡°Yesterday, when I pulled the mirror out, did you recall anything?¡±


    With the question ringing around his ears, he eased down on the pace, the maid swiftly realizing as she herself stopped.


    Only when Lutiel bumped into her did his eyes startle towards her, who kept looking at him.


    ¡°So, did you?¡±


    A profuse silence followed her question as he opened his mouth yet nothing came out.


    ¡°N-no. I was just confused. When I saw myself, I just realized I didn¡¯t remember how I looked,¡± he said, making hums come out of the nodding maid.


    ¡°Mhm, I see. Sorry. It must have been weird to experience that. The kitchen is just around the corner, so let¡¯s move.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± With a reserved voice, the man rapidly went back to following the girl. Restraining her voice, she only broke out once they finally met themselves with a door similar, but completely different to his one.


    Blending in with the walls, she opened the painted doors of the kitchen, at the same time making Lutiel involuntarily move his nostrils.


    ¡°Oh, I think it¡¯s done!¡± The maid exclaimed, trotting towards the black doors made out of metal embedded inside the wall of the kitchen made with bricks.

 10. First Task 1

    Touching the cloth on the door¡¯s knob, she swiftly opened it before putting her arms inside as though it was nothing. Stopping in the middle of the doorway, he watched as the steaming loaf of bread was carried in her hands before she put it on the table, near the basket full of fresh fruit.


    ¡°Please, take a seat while I prepare the eggs,¡± she proposed, pointing to the chairs around the table.


    Complying, he watched in silence as Raeyine took the cast iron and put it on the already fired up stove beside the oven.


    Moments later, a hiss could be heard coming out of the pan as a spoonful of butter went inside while the maid went to the other side of the kitchen, searching through the larder filled with shelves full of ingredients.


    In no time, she could be seen walking back to the hot stove while holding up a handful of large eggs against her uniform.


    Without muttering a word, she put the four eggs she brought over on the cooler side of the stove, cracking them one by one into the pan.


    Looking at and hearing the sizzling of the abnormally large eggs, Lutiel kept to himself in peace, letting the sun visiting beyond the windows on their left slowly brush his face.


    Moving her arm constantly, stirring with the wooden spoon, the maid used her free hand to salt and pepper the eggs. At the same time, as steam began amply moving up the ceiling from the kettle, she grabbed the handle barehanded, promptly putting it on the side before taking off the eggs as well.


    ¡°Are you thirsty? Would you like some tea?¡±


    Under his soft nod, she walked close to the windows, from where she opened the cupboards and prepared the necessary porcelain, two plates and tea cups along with a teapot.


    Placing them upon the table, she filled the plates with the scrambled eggs before filling out the pot with dried up leaves and scalding water. Covering it, she then garnered her attention around the golden brown, tall loaf that was trying to escape from the side, bringing a serrated knife to cut it.


    Crackling, the butt of the loaf exposed its puffy and airy insides as it fell to the table, steam coming out immediately.


    Cutting up two slices for each of them, she quickly went back to the stove, for the butter dish she left, as well as two table knives and forks.


    ¡°Here you go. Pesne,¡± she said while giving him his pair of cutlery before taking some of the butter and spreading it on her piece of bread.


    However, before Lutiel or Raeyine could begin their meal, he kept staring at her.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± He asked, making her stop the incoming slice of warm bread near her lips and look at him.


    ¡°Oh, that? Don¡¯t mind it, it doesn''t spell anything important,¡± she said, dipping some of the bread inside the eggs before eating.


    Glancing at her one last time before taking the fork, he also proceeded to start his meal, hesitantly bringing the vivid eggs towards his lips.


    Yet, as he forced the bite, he stopped chewing for a second, quickly looking at the maid in front of him. Shooting him a smile as she finished eating the piece of bread, the girl quickly opened her mouth, not to take another bite.


    ¡°What? Is it better than the spiders and bugs back in the caves?¡± She asked, her gentle giggle slowly scanting out into silence.


    Nodding while stuffing his mouth with both the eggs and the bread, she raised an eyebrow as she saw him practically swallowing it whole.


    Before she knew it, Raeyine was already standing up to help him as he started coughing up slightly from the speed at which he was eating.


    ¡°Here, drink slowly,¡± she told him after pouring the tea into the cup near his plate.


    She saw as he drank the tea without hesitation, gradually clearing the cup¡¯s content. As he finished, the coughing eased up, only for him to already go back to the plate. However, before any of the metal could touch the eggs, his arms had been enclosed by the maid¡¯s tight grip.


    ¡°Slow down, it¡¯s not going anywhere. I know you haven¡¯t eaten for a while, but you will only harm yourself,¡± she said, lessening the grip as the fork touched the porcelain.


    ¡°Sorry. I just couldn¡¯t remember when was the last time I had a decent meal,¡± Lutiel said with somewhat of a wrinkled forehead, making the girl smile while sitting down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s chat while we eat. Maybe that will help. It¡¯s also a good time to tell you about your duties, which start today since you healed up somewhat,¡± she said, her eyes traversing towards the middle of his face. ¡°Your nose looks fine already, all of the swelling and redness has gone away, at least.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but don¡¯t touch it yet. Just let it be,¡± she added briskly, seeing as his hand already started moving there.


    Nodding his head while getting the scrambled eggs on his bread with a fork, Lutiel put it in his mouth while staring closely at her.


    ¡°Has lady Zyponia already told you about the main stuff?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°The assistant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t need any information about that since she will explain. The second job, however, is to go out into the town and get things done there,¡± she said, nibbling on the eggs with her bread.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The lady will also tell you what needs to be done in her stead and you¡¯re bound to do it. Also, you¡¯re responsible for restocking the kitchen. As for what needs to be bought, I will tell you before you go today, but you have to ask the cook a night before the next time,¡± Raeyine explained while he continued eating.


    ¡­


    Lutiel leaned on the seats of the carriage, listening as the wheels turned on the dirt. Turning his head, he watched the landscape pass by calmly.


    Waving him goodbyes and greetings at the same time as he went ahead, the grass changed the direction all of a sudden. High above yet under the veil of the gray clouds, the birds flew by, a shade away from mingling with them.


    Breaking the line of horizon, the mountains his gaze followed stood still, unmoving. The wheels turned a couple of times before his eyes went back inside, his left arm searching through the left pocket of his trousers.


    Taking out the folded piece of yellowish paper, Lutiel¡¯s eyes scoured through the contents, which filled the entirety of the palm sized page.


    Following the words written down in the human language, he rubbed the paper with his fingers.


    ¡®Black paper from the green-haired vendor in the building with a hanging sign that depicts a frog.¡¯ Skimming the paper, he raised his head, looking at the ceiling of the carriage.


    ¡®I could¡¯ve been treated much worse. They would have given up their limbs for this place.¡¯ As his head tinkered inwardly, he rummaged through his right pocket around the jacket, swiftly taking out a reflective coin.


    Tossing the silvery coin Zyponia had gifted him around in his hand, holding it up with his thumb and two fingers, he stopped when flipping it to the obverse. Mirroring in his eyes, the image of two weapons crossing themselves appeared.


    A sword and a twisted staff were depicted onto the metal, just under the stain that mellowed out the reflection.


    ¡®U¡­ma¡­fy dhoh pyray nu.¡¯ Although there were some letters stamped under the weapons, he could make little sense of them, putting the coin back inside his pocket once the carriage started trembling for a brief moment before calming down.


    With the carriage stopping, he went closer to the windows, looking out only to witness the city gates. On the side, a certain, armored guard stood, with a tall spear standing up on his side.


    ¡°Kozs li dho reisu dlar vider?¡± Unmoving, the guard spoke. With a helmet that made little way for the voice to come out, he didn¡¯t repeat himself.


    ¡°Geas la chod¡¯yr kiz pokuc reca dlar Panyi Zyponia.¡±


    ¡°Tis tacpunt. Geas tomi ris,¡± he said, chains rattling at his words while the horse neighed. Soon, Lutiel saw the helmet of the guard, the two horizontal slits right at him. Observing him beyond the window, the knight soon returned to his position, asking once again, to the carriage behind them. ¡°Dho reisu dlar vider?¡±


    While they went through the gates, soon joining the rest of the sparse carriages plummeting around the dirt streets, Lutiel watched out of the window.


    Although it disappeared little by little, he could still witness a large portion of it. Walking along, as well as on the sides of the large frame of a building under construction, the humans carried long, wooden beams while the ones on top of the frame either beat in the nails or pulled the ropes with a basin full of building materials.


    One of the three that pulled waned, visibly starting to hinder the movements of others. Finally, coming to a halt, instead of pulling, he along with others, was pulled instead, their bodies quickly falling to the ground.


    No longer bringing themselves back up, they stayed in the mud, only for a certain man to come to them at the rowdy commotion, clearly angry. With a chain in his right hand that connected itself to a spiky ball at the end, he began swinging it at the inert humans.


    Unfortunately or fortunately, Lutiel¡¯s vision of the subject was forced to break apart, the building next to their carriage in the way of his eyes. Blinking as he saw the people staring right at him, ones that didn¡¯t wear fetters, shackles, nor collars, he went back to looking through the paper in his left hand, only to witness its crumbled-up state.


    Right in the middle, his thumb went through, ripping it apart. Sighing before smoothing it out, he once again went through its contents while taking glances in between at the city and its residents.


    ¡®It should be around here from what she wrote.¡¯ Taking one last look at the page, he soon heard a clear voice through the cacophony of noises.


    ¡°I will wait for you here. Take however long you need,¡± said the old man, not turning around to face him even once as they stopped near the side of the road, where scarce carriages stood still and horses were roped to metallic poles protruding from the cobble sidewalk.


    Opening the doors from the inside without letting out a word, Lutiel simply left, soon walking along the street, next to a multitude of varied buildings. Countless demons flowed out or went inside, surrounding the place.


    Unlike the street he observed just a few moments ago, there were no chains to be witnessed nor heard around him. Demons dressed both in formal and casual clothes went about their ways, covered from the neck down to the feet with layers of warm clothes.


    However, despite each being focused on their tasks, all took a glance at the human that moved through the dirty pavement.


    Looking at all the faces that were directed at him, specifically at his neck, he went forward nonetheless, his eyes kept ahead at the big sign hanging from the side of the building.


    Sadly, as he went through the crowd, suddenly, his body opposed himself, from the back of his right arm. Turning behind, he stared at the claws grasping his shoulders.


    His eyes traveling all the way to the stranger¡¯s head, in the very middle of his forehead, he witnessed a black horn that curved itself towards the skies while cutting through the brim that sat on his hairs.


    ¡°This is no place for a human slave to walk through,¡± said the man, heads turning as silence spread around them. Then, mutterings filled the space, as well as a loud turmoil because of the halted movement.


    ¡°Intimau? Kozs li e intimau bie¡¯yr nuen?¡±


    ¡°Jun li inpiraj¡¯no!¡±


    Shouts and questions followed him all around while the dark arm held him still. Clenching his teeth, Lutiel moved his free hand toward his pocket.


    ¡°Do you wish to die? Do not dare to move or I won¡¯t hesitate to rip your arm off,¡± he barked, glaring at the man with his fully black eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I just wan-¡±


    As he started talking, his sentence cut off in the middle. The world beside him spun suddenly, quickly. Looking at the legs and shoes of the demons all around, he hugged the ground beneath him.


    ¡°I told you not to move, didn¡¯t I?¡± with an increasingly angrier tone, the voice quickly reached his ears, along with a jarring sight.

 11. First Task 2

    The curled up claws flew across the space, about to reach his face. Yet, just before the fist could touch the human, the arm stopped briskly, followed by another silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lady Zyponia¡¯s slave,¡± the fallen man said, a silver coin flaunting in the palm of his left hand


    Immediately, the previous man acted, grabbing onto the slave¡¯s suit before bringing him up from the ground. With somewhat creased eyebrows, he smiled slightly and talked once more.


    ¡°Excuse me, I had no idea. Please, don¡¯t tell anything to Lord Zyponia,¡± he pleaded to the white-haired man, a tinge of desperation in his eyes.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Lutiel replied, dusting off his clothes quickly before storming off, thrusting away the claws plastered all over his shoulders.


    Taking a look back, he saw the man leading his carriage stare back at him, only giving him a nod while leaning back on his seat.


    Sighing inwardly before moving under the cumulation of looks from each of his side, Lutiel¡¯s attention kept only at the sign with a violet frog swirling out its tongue.


    Shutting off his ears from the whisperings, he quickly entered the shop that gained practically no attention from the earlier crowd, only tumultuous because he went inside. Though, closing the doors, no demon seemed to want to enter after him.


    Looking at the doors for a few seconds, he only turned around once somebody shook him out of the state.


    ¡°Lei arn ges, kozs¡¯o meci dobnivic zamis?¡±


    A male voice rang out from afar, prompting Lutiel to speak himself, still remaining in place.


    ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡±


    ¡°Then, you should know not to come here,¡± he said, creating a space for silence to prevail. ¡°You do know, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here under Lady Zyponia¡¯s orders.¡±


    Standing calmly, he didn¡¯t have to wait long for a reply, though it didn¡¯t come without an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Haa, please come inside. What is it that she wanted?¡± He asked after revealing himself to the servant beyond the wall on his right, where the counter went along.


    With steps full of creaks, within a few of them, he was already facing the man, who was still leisurely sitting on a chair.


    ¡°Two reams of dark paper along with ten of the inks the Lady likes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, anything else?¡± With half-closed eyes, the demon with a single horn asked, moving away slightly from the wooden chair.


    ¡°No,¡± tersely, he replied, but the demon didn¡¯t bat an eye anyway. Simply moving a hand through his short hairs, he lifted up the door of the counter before moving to the middle of the shop, where long and tall shelves filled with a plethora of eerie items, at least to Lutiel, could be seen.


    Looking at all the bottled-up powders of vibrant shades, along with certain liquids in glass containers and all the other miscellaneous things, his eyes naturally followed the materials he hadn¡¯t seen before.


    Scouring his gaze through different parts of the small shop, his head suddenly stopped on the left, where a wall full of books could be seen. With only hard covers, their sizes were quite extensive, the colors equally so.


    With a vivid embrace, despite inside the enclosed building, the covers gave off an illumination, catching him entrapped.


    ¡°You here? They aren¡¯t in aseunian, so don¡¯t waste your master¡¯s money. Not that you could,¡± the shopkeeper muttered, having already brought all of the things over to the wooden counter.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to buy them.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t doubt you. That will be nine silvers and fifty bronze dracars,¡± he said, stacking the items on top of each other, with all ten inks on the upper ream of the dark papers.


    Searching through the left pocket of his jacket, Lutiel brought out a handful of coins in his palm, none bronze in color. Taking ten of them, he handed the money over to the brought out arm.


    ¡°Five bronze haeldra, here,¡± the man spoke absentmindedly as he stored the coins in the register, bringing out five bronze coins a bit larger than the silver ones.


    Glancing at him as he finished all the necessities, the servant promptly took the bought items before heading back, under complete silence. The shopkeeper didn¡¯t utter a single word more, simply staring at his back as he made his way to the doors.


    Quickly leaving the shop, he found himself in a sidewalk free of the previous looks, replaced by a new look of indifference. Even the demons he saw before simply moved past him.


    ¡®Now, the food and the coal is left.¡¯ Thinking to himself, he stared at the carriage on his left, where a certain old man seemed to have been sleeping.


    Walking with the items in his hold, after he passed a few buildings, he was already next to the horses, making the man¡¯s eyes open up and stare him down.


    ¡°Done already?¡± He asked, looking at the stuff in his arms before engaging the horses with a whistle, plainly grabbing onto the reins and readying them for the drive.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go to the market now,¡± he replied, opening the doors before going inside.


    ¡­


    ¡°What do you think?¡± She asked in their native tongue, standing in the middle of the room with her arms sprawled out straight to the sides.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    The listener, tugging on the fabric of her dress, remained silent as she corrected the clothing while kneeling. Only when she stopped and stood up from the carpet did her mouth open, grabbing onto the parts beneath Zyponia¡¯s armpits.


    ¡°What? About Lutiel?¡± Raeyine asked, her eyes focused on the creases of the dress.


    ¡°Yes. What are your initial thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Well, although he shows his intimidation against us indiscreetly, I think it¡¯s only subconscious. I¡¯m sure he will become useful, he¡¯s quite talented,¡± she said, sending a wink to her while taking a glance up.


    ¡°Raeyine,¡± Zyponia spoke, but the maid kept on moving her hands around her body. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is.¡±


    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t imagine any other option why you bought him, then. For a golden coin at that. There are hundreds of servants we don¡¯t have to teach from the beginning for a fraction of the price.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not. He simply seemed weird. Unlike a human. The strength he showed was like that of a beast.¡±


    ¡°Is that what made you smitten?¡± She asked with a prideful smile, only to receive a strike on top of her head. ¡°Ouch! That hurt!¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to. You¡¯re allowed far too much.¡±


    ¡°I think otherwise,¡± she said under her nose, with a smile on her face before taking a comb and softly running through the lady¡¯s hairs. ¡°What do you want to do with him?¡±


    ¡°I think sister may make good use out of him, but not in his current state. He has great potential, but he moves like a newborn. Still, he won with the leader of the revolutionaries that were here.¡±


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t tell me that yesterday,¡± the maid blurted out while stopping momentarily, her eyes widened somewhat.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now. I was too busy to remember,¡± she said, closing her eyes as Raeyine enhanced her features.


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t prod at you. But, you want to nurture him, right?¡± She asked at the same time as she stopped preparing her lady.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And how are you supposed to achieve that? Train him with human ways? Make him a knight? Through a weapon or martial arts? And what if he remembers his past?¡±


    Looking at the arms gently sitting on her waist, Zyponia¡¯s eyes wandered down at the question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He will stay obedient, but wanting to actually do it is completely different.¡±


    ¡°Well, you could just force him if he won¡¯t do it,¡± the maid proposed, soon receiving a shake of the head from the master of the mansion.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let his mind become broken.¡±


    ¡°What if it strengthens his resolve?¡±


    ¡°Just stop,¡± quickly interjected Zyponia, staring at the girl donning a smirk.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, pinching her lips shut tight before swiftly opening them once more. ¡°How about letting him attend your lessons with Camilla?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He is your assistant already. Why not make him one during the lessons as well?¡±


    ¡°No, no, how does that even correlate?¡± The girl asked with furrowed eyebrows while glancing up at the maid with glasses.


    ¡°Just trust me. I have a good feeling about this,¡± she said, a smile on her face as she stared back at the demon lady.


    ¡°I¡¯m meant to expand on his strength, even if it means him becoming said knight, not some professor,¡± she replied with a calm voice, crossing her arms.


    ¡°You can still do that, but that won¡¯t stop him from hating you. What I¡¯m proposing is that he shouldn¡¯t leave your side. Make him attached to you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, blinking a couple of times after hearing the girl.


    ¡°You heard me. There is no man that wouldn¡¯t fall for your cuteness, you just have to show it to him.¡±


    Raising her hand, it was already tightened into a fist, her eyebrows lowered into a glare. ¡°How long will you keep this up?¡± Talking amidst the giggle reverberating through the room, she remained that way.


    ¡°Then, how about just using a potion on him? He won¡¯t regain the memories that way forever.¡±


    Quickly changing her mien, the lady looked at her maid with a meek frown. Remaining in the same position for a while, she spoke with a reserved tone.


    ¡°No, I told you already.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any other ideas, in that case. Still, I believe that having Lutiel in your classes would be the best option.¡±


    However, before Zyponia could reply to her words, her head turned to the right, the gaze escaping into the distance beyond her windows. Looking at the closing gates, as well as the carriage that stopped after coming inside the estate.


    Coming closer to the window, a hand soon embraced her left shoulder, a presence standing close beside her.


    ¡°It seems that we have summoned the devil. I will go help him,¡± she said, bringing her face near Zyponia. ¡°Though, you can call me if you want to get prepared for your first date together.¡±


    ¡°You can go,¡± she replied briskly, not looking back after the maid started leaving.


    Closing the doors behind her, Raeyine¡¯s smile traced back into an unimpressed look, walking through the corridors with decisive steps. Within a few moments, as she passed the doors in the hallway of the top floor, the maid found herself taking the staircase leading down.


    Spreading her melody against the steps, her shiny loafers moved at a spry pace, reaching the hall before Lutiel could even reach the doors leading to them.


    Grabbing onto the knobs, she did so herself, the sight of the sky and greenery out in front of her. In the middle of it all, however, she saw a certain man standing near the flung open carriage doors.


    Seeing him take out the basket filled with fresh vegetables, she spoke up, in a tongue he could understand.


    ¡°You can leave those in the kitchen. I will take care of the coal boxes.¡±


    Lutiel stopped moving as he heard her speak before turning around to meet her face already close to him.


    ¡°They¡¯re inside, but you should check them first,¡± he said to the girl, whose look suddenly plummeted, creasing her eyebrows.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Well, he sold me the boxes, but he said only the smallest ones were available.¡±


    ¡°How much did he charge you?¡± Raeyine asked, looking into the man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Four silvers per box,¡± he replied with a straight face, the corners of his jaw somewhat taut.


    ¡°Agh, that pig!¡± She spat out before leaning against the leather cushions and pulling onto the wooden box.


    Putting it on the ground, the girl didn¡¯t wait and simply opened the box, only for her eye to begin twitching as she witnessed the insides.


    Not filled out to the top, the small pieces of pebble-like, dark coal with a light shade of blue to them made the maid clench her jaw as she dirtied her hand, grabbing onto the coals before raising them.


    Falling to the box, some of the powder went along with the wind, right before she closed the lid, a loud clack spreading through the space.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± she said while stacking all of the boxes on top of each other. ¡°I will go there myself. Next time, don¡¯t hesitate to call out my name if he tries any of this again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± With a succinct reply, he was already on his way toward the kitchen, moving through doors of the mansion that stayed open.

 12. Overwhelming Might

    The pen slid across the pages. Dipped in the viscous liquid that stayed on the tip, it curved daintily as the edge of the palm caressed along the paper¡¯s surface.


    In the dark embrace, the words threatened to vanish, punily distinguished through the tender glimmer it released upon the two. So carefully crafted, the ink put out words the one overseeing them had never seen before.


    Glancing to the side, he saw as the pen had been dipped in the navy blue substance once again, washing down the nib fervently only to slow down at the cusp as it gathered into a bulbous droplet. With the excess having fallen into the ink¡¯s remnants, the hand gripping the pen moved back to the paper resembling what lay beyond the windows.


    Filling out the blankness, his pupils followed her actions religiously. Zyponia didn¡¯t turn, however. Subjected to the glare from the side, she remained in the same state, writing the letters carefully one stroke at a time. Sitting in her chair upright, the only two things that moved were her eyes and her right arm, the other holding the paper in place.


    Similar to the man standing beside her, her eyes moved ahead of the words, squinted slightly. Suddenly, as she stopped writing the unfamiliar words, she removed the pen to the side, waiting quietly. Without turning her head, Lutiel merely saw the lips move.


    ¡°Fifth pile from the door, take the first three papers after the tenth one from the top,¡± she said, her body remaining in place, not moving a single breadth of a hair strand.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said, swiftly turning around to navigate through the cluttered room stashed with papers similar to the one on her desk throughout every corner.


    Walking amongst the piles, it didn¡¯t take him more than fifteen steps to reach from the desk to the door, soon standing beside the desired column.


    Sorting the top out, he took the eleventh, twelfth, and the thirteenth paper before briskly going back to the girl that seemingly didn¡¯t move a single muscle spanning his journey.


    However, as he came closer, Zyponia brought out her hand, the assistant promptly giving the papers. Moving them to the front, finally, her position changed.


    Lowered faintly, her head full of purple hairs along with the two pointy horns gazed down at the papers. With the pen standing in its designated holder on the side, she read through each distinct page carefully while Lutiel, having no other thing to do, simply observed the demon lady.


    From the very tip of her horns down to the bottom of the gown she wore, completely distant to the bodacious armor he envisioned her in the past day, his eyes glued themselves onto her.


    Compared to the cold blooded ruler that bought him, at the very moment, Lutiel stood next to a noble demon.


    ¡®To think I would ever witness a demon in a dress.¡¯ He mused while looking at the violet corset laced over the light blouse underneath that exposed her shoulders. Tied over them, the bodice blended into a flowing dress at the bottom.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She asked, her attention no longer on the papers.


    Suddenly, his ears perked up while he glanced upwards, away from the shaded arches above her blouse. Looking directly at the pink eyes staring him down, his mouth froze for a while.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, my lady,¡± he said, skeptically lowering his upper body into a bow that met itself with a bare silence.


    Staring at the planks ahead of him, he clenched his jaw awaiting her response.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, calmly. Not reaching out her hands at him or any of the supposed, she watched as his hairs fell down. ¡°You can raise your head already. Also, there should be a compass somewhere around here. Find and give it to me.¡±


    He listened to her words, straightening his back before nodding with a plain face. Turning around once again, after putting the papers on the wooden stand on her desk, Zyponia began dipping the pen with the ink.


    Walking through the mess, he looked all around, his gaze scouring through every sheet of paper inside the room. In a mere couple breaths, his eyes locked onto the top of a certain pile, where an attachable metallic piece of equipment found itself.


    Grasping onto it with his hand, he hovered it beside her after coming back.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, stopping momentarily from her writing. Gently tapping the nib against the glass container for the ink, she let all of it drip out properly before attaching the compass to the correct size and width.


    Having done so, she dipped the pen anew, transporting the ink to the page¡¯s base.


    Even more so than before, Lutiel experienced her focused eyes. Attained under the calm of silence, her still presence finally moved as she pricked the page ever lightly.


    With a swift, concise movement, a perfect circle had been born, the circumference even throughout. Then, she increased the spacing between the compass, consequently increasing the radius.


    Repeating her actions, a slightly bigger circle appeared on the page, leaving little space away from the words, as well as the edge of the paper.


    Nonetheless, she seemed no longer interested in the larger circle. Taking one of the wooden rulers on her right side of the desk, she first placed the paper in a casing that had no top.


    Putting the ruler that fit the frame perfectly, Zyponia then adjusted it, in a way that would create a line from two points on the circle¡¯s border.


    Dipping the pen, she drew the line before doing the same to the opposite side, making identical, parallel scores on the dark paper. Replacing the ruler with one that corresponded the page¡¯s width, she easily finished the square inside of the smaller circle.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Under her assistant¡¯s gaze, she continued undisturbed.


    On each vertex of the square, Zyponia drew two lines that connected in the middle above, on the circle¡¯s circumference. Having created the four triangles, she put all of the rulers, as well as the casing away, focusing on the free space that was made between the two circles instead.


    Her hand moved once again, carefully crafting each letter with her hand and pen, making the man¡¯s eyes follow instinctively.


    However, as much as he watched, the show finally ended, his master completing the words and putting the pen away in the holder.


    Yet, observing the paper, it was different from others. Unlike the ones he saw with the corner of his eyes, this one possessed the geometrical shapes solely. Papers that were before her as well. They were only with text, and nothing else.


    Then, his eyes opened wide. The demon lord placed her hand over the circle, and before he knew it, the circle disappeared as her hand moved away.


    ¡®What?¡¯ He asked himself inwardly, but there was no answer to be made. It was there just a moment ago, having been carefully drawn by the lady. Then, it dissipated back to the original surface.


    Even the dent left by the compass earlier couldn¡¯t be seen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cloud yourself with it. You will only become natural to it as you come here and help me,¡± she said suddenly, making him glance to the side.


    She stared at him, who soon reciprocated the action. Blinking a few times, he scoured back and forth between her and the room he had been placed inside.


    ¡°Do you have the rock I told you about?¡±


    Staying silent for a moment, he shook himself slightly before moving his hand to the left pocket of his pants.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he said while clenching his right hand behind his back. Showing the palm-sized rock in his left one, the lady nodded after grabbing it.


    ¡°Good, let me show you what you will be dealing with from now on,¡± she said, a light smile around her mouth.


    In her open palm of the left hand, the rock began being lifted in the air, keeping the height even as she retreated the arms to herself. Hovering over the desk, a bit away from the short rack with four papers on it, the rock spun slightly only to halt completely.


    Under the steady, peaceful breaths, a few moments passed as the rock stayed in the air. Then, it moved to the left slowly before suddenly bursting right at a velocity incomparable to before.


    Yet, for the second time, before it could make the pile of papers at the end of the desk fly up into shreds, it stopped gradually, as though meeting some wall that restrained it.


    Suddenly, his sight flew across at the empty wooden desk, something bouncing off of it. With Zyponia¡¯s focus on the rock constantly, she didn¡¯t do anything about the small grains being chipped away. Comparable to sand, they fell one by one while the rough rock began vibrating in the air.


    Before anything could be said, he saw the object moving in the same direction as moments prior, slowly to the left only to rummage to the right, acting like a bow and an arrow.


    Stopping in the same place, the grains around the rock¡¯s surface came off somehow, despite diminishing its speed gracefully.


    The third instance of the rock¡¯s movement didn¡¯t happen immediately. Moving the right hand under her desk, Zyponia brought it up. Lutiel could see all of fingers separated from each other, overseeing the rock in front of her.


    Up ahead, it finally started moving after she remained in the position for a while. Knocking against the air, the result varied slightly.


    No longer grains, larger pieces of the rock split up while crumbling away from it before dropping down to the desk of the demon lady.


    Lutiel didn¡¯t blink any longer. He stood by the ploys being brought out in front of him, practically glaring at the flying rock.


    On the fourth try, similar to the previous one, it moved only after the lady focused. However, with the same vigor, only chunks of the rock fell apart. Witnessing it, determination filling her pink eyes, Zyponia brought out the left hand as well.


    Even lengthier than before, she stared at the piece of hard material, to the point of their heart singing solely in the room.


    And once it beat for the tenth time, the rock flew across the air, stopping in the same spot for the fifth time, abruptly. At the same time, larger pieces fell away when the rock had split into two distinctive chunks.


    Together with the rest, it fell, accompanying the hands that were brought under the table. With a deep breath, Zyponia¡¯s chest heaved slightly, soon coming back to normal.


    Nonetheless, Lutiel¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t be combated, opting to stare his master down, only shaken up by her speaking mouth.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± A simple question reverberated out from her lips, Lutiel¡¯s eyes no longer following their movement so keenly.


    ¡®Is she able to control the wind? Magon had the ability to control those black flames, so it wouldn¡¯t be weird for another demon lord to be capable of something close.¡¯ He thought to himself, though quickly pinched himself on the back, going back to the world before him.


    ¡°What was that?¡± With no clenched jaw, with no tensed anything, Lutiel asked whilst muttering.


    ¡®Is this how you were able to win?¡¯ He measly thought, unable to blurt out the words.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, at least exactly¡± she said with an indifferent look on her face, only turning it around once the sentence reached his ears.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s pointless.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He asked senselessly, his eyebrows having twitched momentarily.


    Raising an eyebrow up, she looked at him with eyes fuller than before. ¡°Have you forgotten what kind of situation you¡¯re in?¡±


    Immediately, the voice resounded inside his ears, quickly to which he moved, however, he was stopped promptly by a force unknown. Looking around, he could see that nothing was holding him, yet his body had been restrained, similar to when the five girls brought him out into the world.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said, her face transitioning into the usual, reserved cool. ¡°Just remember next time.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, my lady,¡± he said, clenching his jaw and straightening the stature after his control had come back.


    ¡°I will make an exception this time,¡± she spoke suddenly, after having already turned her head back to the desk. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been so interested in it, I will tell you.¡±


    ¡°Although it doesn¡¯t convey the truth, the human language does have some words for it,¡± she added, not giving him any space. ¡°Magic, sorcery, witchcraft, do you remember what they entail?¡±


    Moving slightly to the side, she glanced at him, awaiting a response that stood frozen in time.


    ¡°Magic? I think so, my lady,¡± he eventually muttered, with eyes that dodged hers. He didn¡¯t look at her anymore. Certain unmistakable images flashed past his mind as he thought about what she said to him.


    ¡®The unreachable figures, the sudden storms and earthquakes throughout battlefields.¡¯ His eyes lost their gleam. ¡®We were fighting entities¡­ that wielded unbound powers.¡¯

 13. The Price Of Determination

    ¡°Why did you tell me, my lady?¡± Lutiel added quickly, before her eyes could catch the look in his ones that already returned to the previous one. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it pointless to say it to a human?¡±


    She stared at him for a few moments, not breaking apart their eye contact once.


    ¡°Yes, it is, because you will never experience it,¡± she said blankly. ¡°However, since you¡¯re my assistant, you¡¯re bound to at least know what I¡¯m doing and researching. Besides, from next week onward, you will also be my teaching assistant.¡±


    ¡°Teaching?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the teaching assistant of my student, who is learning magic from me.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, my lady,¡± he said with his mouth remained open, even though nothing continued to come out.


    ¡°Are you wondering why?¡± She asked plainly, receiving a nod in response.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your body will be a good subject for experimentation,¡± her face beamed with normalcy as she spoke the words that made his body involuntarily step back.


    On the brink of blinking, he stretched out his arms and looked down at them, scouring every bit of his body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t be dissecting you. Your body is in an ideal state because of the lack of battle intricacies. Unlike any other slave, you¡¯re basically a clean slate,¡± she spoke, but the voice went through him as though he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡®Really? Is that the best excuse you could muster up?¡¯ Clearly resounding in his head, he clenched the gloved fists he hid behind his back, together with the jaw.


    ¡°Is that all I would be doing, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Well, no,¡± she said with a soft shake of her head. ¡°You will also be responsible for carrying the equipment for the lesson as they won¡¯t be purely inside the manor.¡±


    With a nod of his, she turned her head back to the papers on the rack, soon taking them away.


    ¡°Bring me a few blank papers,¡± Zyponia added, taking hold of the pen standing in the holder.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± his voice traversed swiftly, cut off by his turning. Moving to the stash of new paper, he took a few sheets before once again going back to the demon lord.


    ¡­


    The doors trembled behind him as he closed them shut, immuring in place after having done the deed. His back barely touched the wood as he leaned onto them, looking up at the ceiling of his dingy room. Glancing at the dim, pale yellow crystal illuminating the place scarcely, his eyes had been stuck onto it like a moth.


    Flickering, the light seemed on the verge of collapsing, but he simply turned his head away, a mellow sigh accompanying the movement. Walking across the room, he stood rigidly before the chair next to his desk.


    Guiding his hand towards the neck, the fingers grasped onto the tie before he wagged the knot loose. Pulling it apart, Lutiel tossed the unraveled necktie at the desk, empty except for the sole lamp at the left corner.


    The buttons around his jacket and waistcoat weren¡¯t sustained much longer either, coming off the next few instances. Hanging them on the top rail of the chair, he raised the tucked into pants shirt before unbuttoning it as well.


    Then came the belt, swishing as it went off the loops before the tough leather dented in the fabric of the previous attire he hung on the chair. Thudding as he moved, his polished shoes smashed against the wooden panels, the bed creaking as he promptly sat on top of it.


    Pulling onto the laces, they rocked around as he raised his foot. Taking them off, Lutiel put the shoes neatly together below the bed, just so the tongues peeked out.


    Once again, helping himself with the cushioning, he stood up and moved to the right. Quivering as they opened, he glanced beyond the wardrobe¡¯s exterior, inside where a couple sets of identical clothes were hanging.


    Below the uniform attire to today, he saw fairer tones of clothes, a shirt and trousers folded in a square lying on the bottom shelf.


    Taking one of the sets of nightclothes, the man quickly closed the doors of the wardrobe before putting them on his made bed.


    Dealing with yet another button, the pants also came about loose, Lutiel quickly taking them off before folding the pair beside the shoes.


    Leaving himself with mostly lighter shades, except for the socks, none remained on his body for longer than a few breaths, the gloves coming off in a jiffy together with the shirt and underwear.


    Having put on the nightwear, he stepped through the room once again, coming close to the jacket. Moving his hand near the pocket, he took out the yellowish, slightly ripped apart piece of paper from today. Stuck between the fingers, Lutiel kept looking at its blank backside.


    His eyes stiff, not daring to blink away, remained in the same state, the paper¡¯s image reflecting in the dark pupils.


    ¡®I should at least try. Magon didn¡¯t notice, so why should she?¡¯ He asked inwardly, the thought plaguing his mind.


    Recalling the words Raeyine told him during their breakfast, Lutiel turned back to the bed, quickly burying his feet inside the duvet before taking the worn socks off.


    ¡°Sait,¡± he said, remembering the words of the maid. Immediately, his being shrouded itself in darkness as the light above dimmed out. Only the sole stars beyond the window welcomed his abode.


    Sitting on the bed, enclosed by the cushion on his legs, the man soon closed his eyes, raising the paper in his right hand up.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Hovering beside his face, the two remained motionless for prolonged moments. With a steady look, his blocked sight continued, as though he awaited something.


    Countless breaths after, his eyelids finally raised themselves, much to the dismay of the beholder. Staring beyond the darkness, Lutiel saw an empty page for the second time.


    With a fine sigh, the paper became crumpled under his touch, bouncing off the floor the next instance.


    Angling his head toward the window, he stared out at the birds glowing far away, some brighter than others.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do? Become a rat for her and her pupil? Rot away in this place? What if there is still a land free of demons?¡¯ Thoughts festered inside his head as he slowly fell to the side, burrowing into the pillow.


    ¡®Who am I kidding? Run away?¡¯ Touching the engraving on his chest, moving nowhere, he snorted at himself for having such thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m no one anymore, in no place for me,¡± he muttered under his breath, covering himself with the blanket as he turned to his back, staring at the dark ceiling.


    ¡®I¡¯m the only one left from the hero¡¯s party, but what¡¯s the point? They all died because of my selfishness. If I were to reveal it to any person, I would have been staked alive and beheaded with a sword.¡¯


    ¡®Yet, who would be stupid enough to believe me? How can a random person be the reason the heroes died ten years ago?¡¯


    ¡®Sheila, if only you were here. I¡¯m sure you would have understood immediately. I¡¯m sure you would have realized it¡¯s me from a mere glance.¡¯ As he thought with closed eyes, suddenly they opened themselves, widened to the utmost limit.


    Glaring at the same spot for a couple of breathless moments, something lit up inside his head.


    ¡°Right. The church! The holy capital couldn¡¯t have fallen! I need to get there, but how? With the brand? Is it even possible?¡¯ At the same time, as his thoughts intensified, his eyes sharpened.


    ¡®No, no ,no, there must be a way! Didn¡¯t the previous slave also run away? If it''s also the magic she was talking about, there has to be a chance to get away somehow. There must be someone in this city who can help me.¡¯


    ¡®I just have to get used to living a slave¡¯s life for now. After I figure myself out and get back to senses from ten years ago, you won¡¯t hold me here forever.¡¯


    Having already closed them shut, even if they no longer glowed, his face took on a newfound determination as his brows furrowed meekly.


    ¡®Zyponia un Afiern. I solemnly swear, I will get rid of your shackles, no matter what.¡¯ He mused, grabbing onto the collar before tightening his grasp along with the jaw. Unfortunately, however, nothing happened to the tough metal.


    In the blink of an eye, the pale blanket went flying, flowing like a sea tide before calmly descending back into place.


    Placed at the center of the room, Lutiel stood on the floor with his bare feet, slightly raised using the toes. Turned straight at the window, kept to himself for a moment before wobbling about, jumping up faintly before catching himself seamlessly, with a bit of noise coming out.


    Warming up his ankles, at the same time, he swung his arms up and down in a circular motion. With time, as the skin around his face began to glisten timidly, he stopped. Stretching one arm out above his head, he pulled it to himself with the other a few times before doing the same with the other one.


    Taking hold of his right foot from behind, Lutiel pulled on it up to his buttock, staying that way for a few seconds. Having repeated the same with the other, keeping himself in place calmly, he started jumping, hitting the sprawled out palms with his kneecaps.


    Although a few thuds along with creaking could be heard as he fell down, he continued until a single droplet of sweat dripped along the side of his face.


    Keeping his legs perfectly straight, he grabbed the bottom of his shins and went down, trying to make his face meet the hands that held the legs.


    Stopping a bit before them, however, he remained that way for a while.


    With a couple of droplets going down from his nose to the feet, he sprung back up, using the shirt to clean his forehead a bit. A somewhat ragged breath took over him, but he uttered not a single groan.


    ¡®This is basically a new body. Still, not bad for the first time.¡¯


    As he thought so, he leaned all the way to the ground, practically falling yet no harsh sound escaped from beneath the hands. Touching the floor with both hands, as well as his toes, his chest threatened to touch the wood before the arms pushed him off, repeating the motion in quick, concurrent executions.


    Before he could even take a proper breath in the swift, yet silent repetitions, Lutiel already did ten of them. Not daring to stop, he continued, until the very moment his chest lay still on the ground without nudging a single point when he tried to move up.


    ¡®I will need a lot of work to go back to my prime.¡¯ A thought pervaded his mind while standing up and placing his feet apart from each other.


    Barely leaving any space between his bottom and the floor, he moved up from the squat to a straight body, soon doing the same for countless times.


    Under the starlight, he trained his body ceaselessly, though, the way he did it, it almost seemed like a simple exercise before the important part.


    The sweat dripped from him as though he was under a rainy sky while barely moving anywhere from the deep squat, falling on his butt to the floor instead.


    The mouth struggled to keep up with the intake of air, but he fought with his body, restraining his voice as much as he could lest the others hear.


    Raising his legs while still sitting on the panels, Lutiel lowered his back before pulling the knees towards his stomach and stretching them out.


    For yet another time, he stopped once he could no longer hold up the muscles of his stomach. Standing up with numerous more struggles than before, without resting, he moved closer to the empty well before him.


    Placing his hands on the floor, he put his legs against the wall, standing up. Moving back to the center of the room using the arms, the slave with a collar around his neck began slowly doing his push ups.


    Although his legs wobbled, they never came close to collapsing down. As the sweat smeared itself across the floor, it seeped into the cracks and wood, though mostly remaining in place with more droplets adding to its size each breath he took.


    Nevertheless, his body heaved up and down, gradually decreasing in pace and intensity before coming to a halt. Clasping his knees together as he remained standing on his head, he slowly rotated back to his feet.


    Regaining his foothold around the room, the space before him practically distorted itself, but his coming back to normalcy hadn¡¯t been prolonged.


    At the same time, Lutiel stood on the toes of his left foot, barely elevated. Turned a bit to the side, the other leg was free, momentarily.


    Slowing himself down deliberately compared to the previous exercises, he stood in place for a while before his right leg finally exploded in velocity, arriving at the destination above his head. However, all of it amounted to merely faltering down and falling to the ground, wriggling with a clenched jaw.


    The grimace spread around his face as gnashed his teeth, grasping onto his right wrist and drilling his fingers into the forearm.


    Sprawling out his right hand that was also clenched, the veins protruding and pulsing, Lutiel glanced at it while struggling to keep his voice in check.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯ He growled inwardly while looking at the indiscreet light glowing above the wrist.


    Groaning through the teeth, his breathing became chaotic from clenching the stomach too hard, releasing it as harsh, singular breaths from time to time.


    Looking at the hand, however, his eyes widened after witnessing the thing forming there.


    ¡®W-what?¡¯ he mumbled internally, the vision threatening to break up as it hesitated. The sign being drawn with a spreading, sky-blue light around his right hand made his body tremble.

 14. An Eccentric Encounter 1

    Despite being definitely different from his memory, he couldn¡¯t not remember this image from the past. Unlike its usual two streaks, four were starting to form on the skin.


    However, that wasn¡¯t what mattered.


    ¡°The hero¡¯s glyph,¡± he muttered, practically inaudibly. Staring constantly at the sign that only glowed on two of the four streaks, Lutiel saw as it eventually died out, yet remained there, ready to show itself to the world at any given moment.


    Stretching out his arms and stopping the clenching as the egregious pain retracted, he saw the two hands in the darkness, his eyes adjusted already.


    On the right, there was the dim glyph, the left one practically unblemished except for the mole in the middle. Once again focusing on the hero¡¯s marking, he pondered incessantly.


    The only question that remained in his head intensified whenever he recalled the day prior.


    ¡®What the hell is happening?¡¯


    ¡­


    Once again, before he knew it, Lutiel was already moving towards the city after leaving the mansion¡¯s fenced grasp. Sitting inside the carriage drawn by the same two horses he had already seen a number of times, he gazed beyond the doors, peeping at the undulating landscape.


    Occasionally riddled with trees starting to leave behind their sun-kissed hairs, they danced along with the wind, flowing gracefully back to the ground.


    Looking at the skies covered sparsely with fair clouds, however, his eyes didn¡¯t follow anything in particular. Going back to the carriage quickly enough, he instead headed down, right where his hand could be seen.


    Free of any folds or wrinkles, the dark jacket lay on him naturally, discerning itself right before the wrists, where a pair of white gloves veiled what had been beneath.


    Focusing on the one to his right, Lutiel took the glove off. Immediately, the pale skin revealed itself to the world accompanied solely by him.


    Yet, instead of what should have been there, it was simply bare skin, unlike last night¡¯s emergency. Rubbing it with his other hand, he caressed the middle, where the hero¡¯s crest hid itself.


    He kept his eyes there no matter what, not caring the least bit about moving across the lands of Helasta. As they remained around his hand, suddenly, the mark started reappearing, not a single streak of it lit up, but still engraved in his being.


    ¡®I always wondered how they summoned it. A simple thought wills it, huh? Though, it doesn¡¯t seem to be working.¡¯ He pondered while the glyph started to disappear for the second time, soon kept within the glove¡¯s interior.


    Still, Lutiel didn¡¯t let off so easily, still taking brief glances at it, a mess of incoherence inside his head.


    ¡®Does this mean I have become one of the new heroes? Was it because I was the nearest person alive during their death? Do the rest of them know of my existence?¡¯


    It seemed like he couldn¡¯t understand anything nowadays, and being kept inside the town congested by demons did little effort in helping him straighten out the questions his mind had gathered.


    Nonetheless, he had already made his resolution. Unless some miracle befell, Lutiel wouldn¡¯t try anything other than regaining his slumbered strengths.


    Finally, having broken off some of his concentration around the matter, he looked outside his little room of the carriage. A sight similar to before. They had just slowed down in front of the gates, and the dialogue from yesterday repeated itself.


    ¡®¡°Kozs li dho reisu dlar vider?¡± The voice asked while Lutiel stared at its owner. Standing upright, with the spear on his right hailing to the unusually clear blue skies, the guard, whose whole body was covered in armor, didn''t move even a hair¡¯s breadth from his place.


    ¡°Geas la chod¡¯yr ne dho prasb un volda Zyponia,¡± a reply came from the front of the carriage, but the guard made no intentions to look at its source. Instead, he slammed his spear against the cobbled ground.


    ¡°Tis tacpunt. Geas tomi ris,¡± he said, the churning of chains and metals following not a moment later. At the same time, the wooden gates reinforced with black metal began pulling themselves up, glistening sharp spikes at their base.


    Having stopped, with the loud sound of the chains halting their movements, the horses began neighing while the old coachman encouraged them softly. Moving through the city walls without an issue, he heard as the guard from the back asked once again with a fading expanse, inspecting those that arrived after them.


    ¡°Kozs li dho reisu dlar vider?¡± The disappearing voice asked, Lutiel unable to focus on it anymore.


    Instead, he gazed up as the sun illuminated the enshadowed carriage leaving the dark, wide arch of the gates.


    Receiving a few glances from the similarly armored guards standing atop the doubtfully large fortifications, he transitioned to the level at which he rode.


    The building that he looked at yesterday seemed to rise up, having changed vastly in a brisk manner. As for the muddy ground on which pedestrians and horses walked through, a rhythmical case played out, the chains of the slaves rattling as they pulled onto their masters.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    A heap larger than before seemed to carry the building materials, heading into a particular, collective direction, only a few of them differing and going into the wide alleys. Though, those that did were different as well.


    Battered up to a much lesser degree, they carried sacks on their backs and shoulders, either brown or white dust coming off of them whenever they adjusted the goods.


    Life seemed to beam across the city, in whatever shape or form it may have done so. Nonetheless, the vision was quickly obstructed, the driver having taken the same route as before.


    Once again, the demons sprawled around the pavement stared at the carriage, black in disguise yet known across the whole city.


    Barefaced glares reached his ears as he sat close to the window, no longer interested in gazing out. Instead, the disregard his demeanor expressed met itself with prudent gestures from the crowd he paid no heed to.


    Instead, he simply looked at what had been ahead of himself, awaiting whenever they would arrive at the place.


    However, it wasn¡¯t especially long. Having had the freedom of the road compared to the majority of the residents, they reached the drawbridge quickly even after moving through tens of streets and turns.


    As long as one of the streets themselves, the bridge connected the city into one, separated only by their varied statuses. Quaking slightly across the cobbled floor of the platform, the wheels turned confidently onwards, moving towards the city¡¯s elevated parts.


    Unlike the penurious, open carriages made from wood that drove past the lower parts of the separated town, a loftily ornate one crossed paths with them.


    Looking out on his left, Lutiel¡¯s gaze met and locked itself onto the red eyes passing by. For a moment, although it passed quickly enough to beat the blink of an eye, the details resounded in his head as he pondered over the demon¡¯s mien.


    Staring at each other with the same resolution in mind, the red eyes scoured through the slave, glowing throughout the action. Flowing below his shoulders, the straight black hairs reflected a silvery light off of them.


    Yet, what left the biggest impression on Lutiel was the demon¡¯s clear skin. If not for the fact of a single horn sticking out from the hairs and the eyes, he would have easily mistaken him for some noble that conspired with the demons.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, there were a lot of demons like him around the streets. Without horns or any special features, would it even be possible to somehow discern them?¡¯


    As he cluttered his head with the topic, the carriage finally went through to the other side of the city, making him snap back to reality. Looking out of the windows, the man witnessed an utter change of the streets around them.


    Unlike the long blocks of partially-wooden buildings used for the lower-placed citizens, Lutiel saw a staggering amount of stone facades, carved down to the smallest of details and kept within the inner walls even higher than the outer ones he saw minutes ago.


    The road was no longer the same ground that grew wheat and trees, paved with brick and stone in its place. Buildings, as well as the road itself, were incomparably cleaner compared to the lower parts of the city.


    Not to mention to the demons that walked through these roads. Ladies and misters wore flamboyant attire, vividly bright unlike the bleak, dark jackets all of the demons below practically wore.


    Carrying themselves with flagrant fortunes, the only thing that made the noble demons identical to the citizens were the looks they were giving the slave being transported inside the demon lord¡¯s carriage.


    No, as Lutiel stared at them, he soon turned back to looking at the seats in front of him, the wrinkled noses and squinted eyes leaving a distasteful sensation at the back of his mouth.


    Nonetheless, with a composed face, Lutiel looked ahead, the carriage having turned countless times in this new scope of a realm. Making their way through the streets, they entered what seemed like the shopping district, except for the fact that only noble and high-standing demons walked through there.


    Sultry signs lured in his eyes, the demonic texts lit brightly despite the absence of darkness. In the middle of the road, a fountain sprayed its waters high, kids playing inside. Meanwhile, around it, different kinds of demons sat on the benches, reading books or simply relaxing while no water ever splashed upon them.


    Slowly driving past all of them since the demons walking by gave way, they soon arrived near the very end, right before the stone railings along the path around the parts that had no walls.


    As he stepped outside, the carriage having stopped already, so did he for a few moments, gazing away at the blaring sun bouncing its rays against the sea far away. A few of the demons that walked next to the railings also stopped, but to gaze at him instead.


    ¡°Kozs la ges bie¡¯yr nuen?!¡± The man asked as he started getting closer to Lutiel, having broken apart the arm previously entangled with his lady.


    Still, as Lutiel looked up at the man''s head, he calmly retrieved the coin in his pockets. Before the demon could even come in his range, he already showed it with a stretch arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s my lady¡¯s request,¡± he said, making the man in the suit click his tongue before snorting and turning around, joining the demon covering her mouth with a hand.


    And when the demon was gone, Lutiel finally turned to the side, seeing his objective. Large panes of glass revealed whatever had been inside, though he already envisioned a picture based on his master¡¯s words.


    Standing next to the window, the gowns displayed moved around while showing off different poses, despite not being mounted onto any stand, floating about in the air.


    And, as they stopped moving, the dresses moved back before elegant suits replaced them, doing the same thing as their female counterparts, though with different moves and styles.


    Unlike the soft and graceful flows of the fabric, the tuxedos and jackets walked and moved with confidence bound to impress many young men.


    However, with the quickest of glances, Lutiel moved on, soon reaching out to the handle of the doors. Opening them, a bell chimed from above, and the demonic ladies and men gathered inside immediately turned to him.


    ¡®Do I have a certain smell to myself or something?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. He had gotten used to it already, but the sudden looks at his collar and face always imprinted something within.


    ¡°Kozs li e involnia bie¡¯yr nuen? Jun li klar¡¯yp dho meitima czez un dho sive,¡± a female voice sprung around the place filled with countless costumes, gowns, and dresses, all at display for them to feel and touch.


    Stopping any of their inspection of the clothes, they all glared at him, soon changing into the same look of ridicule. A slave dared to step inside the noble streets, much less a building on them.


    However, before any of the people gathered there could pierce their horns or claws through him, a clear voice resounded deep from within.


    ¡°Cinaefr ini pruc dho involni, zost,¡± the female voice said, much to the astounded, squealing faces. Spreading throughout the whole space all the way from the stairs leading to the higher floor, it struck the demons deeply.


    ¡°Huh? Panyi Luviene? Jun li inpiraj¡¯no! Tis ched nuen kiz pokuc e rec!¡± The same voice from before replied, an incredulous look on the face of its owner.

 15. An Eccentric Encounter 2

    ¡°Geas sesze tis¡¯o. Teug lesi.¡± The annoyance of the voice seemed to increase for every additional time she spoke out. Nonetheless, before she could even show her face, all of the customers left with shrewd looks, glaring with hatred at the man that didn¡¯t even take a few steps inside the shop.


    Every single one of them going out after he made way for them, Lutiel could hear the silence seep through the wooden planks making up the floor around the cloth-littered place.


    ¡°You must be little Zyponia¡¯s new slave, right? Take the stairs and walk through the curtains,¡± she asked, leaving no space for an answer. Traveling all the way to him, through every piece of attire that was in the bottom portion of the shop, Lutiel¡¯s brows moved ever so slightly at her words.


    ¡°She told me about you beforehand, but I¡¯m a bit hurt,¡± she added, grumbling slightly while his ears trembled, as if she was directly by his side. ¡°She didn¡¯t mention anything about your pretty face.¡±


    Although he hadn¡¯t begun thinking of it, his body started moving towards the stairs on each side of the shop. The engagement, however, made him proceed out of his own volition soon enough, having stepped on the first tread of the stairs.


    Not frantically large, he easily made his way to the first and top floor of the building, his gaze kept at the maroon curtains veiling a large opening. And, without waiting any further, Lutiel simply grazed the curtains away with his right arm, stunned immediately as he stood in place.


    The room revealed itself to him, the first sensation taking over his nose. A sultry breath of air hit him, racy scents infiltrating the nostrils before the eyes saw what lay beyond.


    In what looked like a bedroom filled with countless, large thread bundles of different fabric, some glossy simply by existence, others dim and bleak, he saw the golden framed bed, the insides covered with pale and thin curtains that didn¡¯t really cover anything.


    Two shadowy silhouettes came onto each other, practically never leaving another¡¯s embrace. The sloppy sounds of fluids mingling accompanied them when the two round mounds squished together, a similar scenario at the top. The heads of dark figures kissed while moans rustled deep within them, welcomed by the world beyond the royal bed.


    Trying to move his calm face away with conflicting insides, he hadn¡¯t been quick enough, something grasping onto his shoulders from behind.


    ¡°Oh, have we a peeping tom here? Should I report this to your lady before you try anything?¡± Giggling as she asked, her soft grip lessened, allowing Lutiel to see the person from behind.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ He mumbled inwardly, nothing but empty space behind the man. Instead, spacious cloths of various fabrics were rolled up in the shelve making up the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m over here,¡± the girl whispered inside his ears once again, a silky laughter fading in the depths of his head.


    At the same time, he immediately turned towards a specific area, walking a bit before witnessing the girl¡¯s red-haired back facing him.


    Sat near a desk with a large, pale paper sprawled nearly across its whole surface, the various colored brushes and pencils held it still, along with measuring devices she used to draw out certain aspects of her costumes.


    As he came close, behind her, she didn¡¯t speak out for the moment, immersed in the fine line she curved across the intricate jacket laid out on the paper.


    Neat and proper, with a sturdy look, the lines flowed in a floral pattern, with a slightly lighter shade than the deep blue attire itself.


    Finally, as she finished drawing one of the plenty roses, the girl wearing what must have been one of her creations turned around, her eyes moving all the way up to him.


    The green, jade-like gems inside her sockets glimmered from the blinding light above, of a chandelier made from countless small crystals like the ones he saw inside his room. Though, their intensity and quality were clearly on another level.


    On her fair skin, the sharp features favored, however, soft ones blended themselves in as well, especially her easeful going about the world.


    He couldn¡¯t deny the statement of her beauty, having been lured in with his eyes for a good few moments before she reminded his existence back to reality.


    ¡°Your eyes are so pretty, yet I know nothing of them,¡± she muttered, making him blink a few times. ¡°I think I¡¯ve fallen in love.¡±


    However, looking at the smirk, he didn¡¯t buy the words, an indifferent look on his face behaving in the same way as usual.


    A weird sensation struck the middle of his chest whenever he gazed at the redhead sitting right in front of him. ¡®It¡¯s all fake,¡¯ he mused inwardly.


    ¡°Is that also magic?¡± Lutiel asked with a clenched jaw, this time making her blink as the face washed away into blankness.


    ¡°Hoo, did Zyponia teach you about that? I would be surprised,¡± she said, a quick change of face taking place as the woman smiled yet again, crossing her exposed legs through the black skirt.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Making sure not to influence his thoughts with the body he possessed, his jaw stayed strained.


    ¡°No, I was simply wondering. You look too human for a demon that uses magic.¡±


    Crossing the arms as well, she pondered still for a few moments. As the time flew by quickly, she moved up from her chair abruptly, her lustrous hair waving daintily to those inside the space.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, but it¡¯s still enough to get a kick out of those nobles coming by. I¡¯m sure you know how they react to a magicless human. Imagine what they look like when they realize their uniforms are made by one?¡±


    Looking at the grin sprawled out from her face, Lutiel didn¡¯t move a single muscle until she opened her mouth yet again.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve admitted my secrets. It¡¯s only fair if you do the same, don¡¯t you think? How much about magic did she teach you?¡±


    Standing head to head, they were of similar heights, the girl only slightly taller. With continuously crossed arms, she awaited the answers, only to put on a disappointed mien as his words befell her ears.


    ¡°My lady didn¡¯t teach me anything,¡± he said, a foiled disgrace igniting. ¡°She told me about it to inform me of my duties.¡±


    ¡°So little? Is she still on that?¡± The woman asked herself, grabbing onto her chin and pondering by the end. ¡°Well, nevermind, I don¡¯t want her to hate me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s been enough chit chat. It¡¯s Luviene Askeir, because I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t tell you,¡± she added immediately before stretching out her hand, following with a wink.


    Glancing down at the painted black nails on her soft, sleek hand, he waited a while in place. Though, eventually, he found nothing wrong.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Lutiel,¡± he replied, moving to grasp her hand despite the zealous feelings battling inside him.


    Yet, as their skin neared, just as his hand touched hers, Lutiel¡¯s eyes dilated while the body convulsed internally. An electrifying jolt spreading and radiating from beneath his skin, the vision in front of him faltered, to his very fright.


    Luviene stared at him with mellow eyes, yet the impish smile that spread out on her face brought about jitters.


    Momentarily, as the images in his eyes overlapped, before his body took a few vehement steps back, the pupils shivered.


    Her pale breasts, along with most of her body, wriggled themselves out of their garments completely bare. With black wings connected to her back, the glossy dark skin covered most of her arms, going all the way to the hands, where sharp claws started to caress his wrist.


    However, when he quickly moved away, all of it momentarily gone, in the blink of an eye, the girl was back in her clothes, along with her proper look.


    Yet, it didn¡¯t amount to anything, his escape. Already taken by hand, she pulled onto him, their clothes touching each other.


    A warm sensation had immediately overtaken the right side of his head, a muggy breath of air sticking to his ear while whispers sent shivers down his spine.


    ¡°I can show you much more in the future, you know?¡± She muttered, nibbling on his earlobe while the hand on his nape made him stay frozen in place. ¡°Have you ever embraced a demon?¡±


    Asking while talking directly to his eardrums, before he could do anything, Lutiel¡¯s lips were taken over by the demon, conquered throughout as the viscid tongue pervaded, marrying together with a whirly dance.


    Held still, starstruck, the man had been unable to do anything at her vices, looking at her with trembling eyes instead.


    Feeling the soft lips of the woman before him, he tried to do nothing, yet the muscles moved on their own, reciprocating her steamy kiss as they exchanged saliva.


    However, just as her sneaky hand squirmed its way through the shirt tucked into his pants, almost fully touching the skin through his underwear, something inside him lit up. Immediately, he pushed the girl away, making her fall on her bottom as he took a few steps.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± He burst out with unsustained anger, but the girl on the floor only smirked at his reactions.


    ¡°Was it too much? Well, it was only a joke, hehe,¡± she giggled while sticking out her tongue, some of his drool still remaining as it glistened under the light. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t indulge in virgins. Your energy is too weak right now. Though, you can speak to me when that changes.¡±


    Throwing him a wink near the end while raising herself from the ground and spouting stuff he didn¡¯t really take either to heart or body, she soon turned around, speaking once again.


    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll give you the thing you came for in the first place,¡± she said, much mellower compared to her previous statements, but still with that smirk plastered on her face.


    Changing his gaze between the seamstress and the actions playing out in the room, he stopped at the bed for a while, wondering where the shadows had gone before realizing their existence near the base of the curtains and the mattress.


    Quickly, with an internal sigh, he followed the redheaded girl between all the different dresses and suits that she was busy constructing while his face returned expressionless.


    Set on wooden mannequins, most of the clothes were half-completed, but the one she stood by was most definitely finished.


    Not fulsome or ostentatious, the deep blue gown flowed on the mannequin dearly, fitting its shape without disturbing the space around it with unnecessary widths.


    A velvety fabric spread practically across its entirety, only missing edges at the top and the long sleeves, hemmed with a deeper shade and intricate lines embroidered into the material.


    Twisting around the neck, the gown didn¡¯t cover any of the shoulders, but a special cape accounted for that, reaching just to the elbows with its violet vibrance.


    All of a sudden, before he even stopped, he saw as the mannequin began being undressed, accompanied by a few words from the demoness.


    ¡°By the way, do you have any idea what she sent you here for?¡± A question left her mouth as the dress started to levitate through the room, folding itself without any seams or wrinkles. Before it could be handed, though, she did something that struck his heart deeply.


    A tan bundle of what appeared to be thin rope began spinning rapidly, to the point of a whistle being produced inside the room. And, as it did, Lutiel gazed up at the continuous line of linen-like fabric floating inertly in the space.


    However, before his eyes could ever understand the magics, the chaotic mess of threads in the air moved courteously, under the control of their master who stood frozen in place. Simply staring at them seemed to have enough power to move the threads.


    ¡®Is she¡­ just¡­ willing it?¡¯ He wondered to himself, though any of his attempts were extinguished by the grand prowess she manifested.

 16. A Lying Fox

    The threads moved horrendously fast, cut into countless smaller portions before weaving into themselves, soon entwining into one, fine material that left his mind and body stupendous.


    Turning into a large square of fine linen fabric in mere seconds, the magical show continued, rendering him useless to answer even such a simple question of her.


    In no more moves and time than before, he saw the material getting turned into a bag, the clothes put carefully inside while he stood there, completely still and silent.


    ¡°So, do you?¡± She added while transporting the bag through the air towards him, who absentmindedly caught the handles. Though, the action had fully brought him out to the real world back again.


    ¡°I do not,¡± he said, no longer obtuse in the face of her tricks. ¡°A slave has no reason to know their master¡¯s every action.¡± His teeth gritted themselves lightly as the jaw became pronounced.


    However, she turned around at his words, amused somewhat. Raising her eyebrow at the supposed attempt of her beguilement, she looked straight into his purple eyes.


    ¡°You will have to train a bit if you want to convince people of your fealty. You look as though you¡¯re constipated,¡± she spoke, bringing one of her hands closer to her mouth, threatening to break out into laughter.


    He, on the other hand, grew taken aback at the words, his eyebrows twitching a nudge.


    ¡®I know that.¡¯ He didn¡¯t dare say it out loud lest she curl him in a cocoon of fabric.


    ¡°Whatever you say, I heard something different from your lady,¡± she said while her lips curled up. ¡°You have a nice body, so I reckon this one will suit you.¡±


    As her voice rang out inside his ears, he saw a certain mannequin at the back rattle uncontrollably before something flew up, unable to hit the high ceiling above it.


    ¡°You can pay me back later, however you want,¡± she winked with an exaggerated, practically moaning tone that if not for the folded suit flying towards him, would have made Lutiel stagger about.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to pay this back in my lifetime.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, she stared at him, dumbfounded while the elegant suit and shoes had yet to arrive inside the bag.


    ¡°You really need to work on yourself, huh?¡± Muttering, she promptly put the attire into the bag he held before his body turned around on its own, starting to walk away from the room. ¡°I will see you at the ball. Though, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t change so quickly.¡±


    Whispering the last sentence while seeing him leave through the curtains, Lutiel stood frozen in space, having left luviene¡¯s bedroom that acted as a workshop.


    Her words lingering in his head, he waited there, glancing down at the empty shop, a line of demons waiting near the glass outside.


    His mind had been a puddle ever since he saw the real look of her person, but at the same time, he could have no confirmation whether that was even the case. Alas, magic made fickles on his mind.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just go back.¡¯ He thought, staring at the bag in his right hand before going down the stairs. Despite the countless stares directed at his being, with concise steps, he quickly grabbed onto the door¡¯s handle, letting the demons walk through while he left for the carriage.


    Coming close to the doors, as his hand rested on the handle and the horses breathed out deeper than before, he took one last glance at the shop, infiltrated with demons moments after he was gone.


    Not waiting any moment longer, he opened the doors before stepping inside, gently placing the clothing on the soft cushions.


    ¡­


    Their hairs danced, pulled on by the irrational wafts brushing them, with a chaotic rhythm they waved across the space around. Standing on ever encompassing green blades, tainted by the fallen leaves, Lutiel watched as the wind caressed the ground¡¯s hairs.


    Stood on a flattened top of a hill between the expansive lands, he stared at the golden tree bleeding at its crown. Next to him, a certain lady wore a long, hooded cloak that mingled with the hair.


    Before he could say or do anything, his head turned to the side, the girl with blue skin walking forward and stopping a few steps in front of him. Meeting at the half-way point between him and the tree itself, the demonic girl¡¯s cape fluttered, but that didn¡¯t stop her.


    Calmly, she waited still whilst closing her eyes. Meanwhile, Lutiel strode quietly, his footsteps subdued under the waving of the wind. With a few careful steps to the side, he took in all she had to offer, an extreme concentration on the one before her.


    The winds quivered through her countless times, similar to the tree, but her focus lingered somewhere else. A leaf fell gracefully, spinning in circles as it flowed to the ground, but just when it conquered most of its way there, a hole appeared along most of its surface, obliterating the golden red leaf. Unable to descend as daintily anymore, it simply sunk down through the air, promptly hugging the soil.


    As the leaf had become shattered, Lutiel¡¯s eyes focused on the thing in front instead, immediately. Though, since all of it happened in the blink of an eye, the deal was already done, and a part of the tree¡¯s bark splintered away, a round impression burrowing into it.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    His eyes wavered, wondering if they saw correctly. Roughly the size of a palm, the attack left the oak shaking, a few more leaves falling down consequently.


    Suddenly the girl¡¯s head turned, right where he was at. Glimmering faintly through the hood, her pink eyes stared at him with a composed manner.


    ¡°Bring me the page,¡± she said, her voice cutting nippily through the air, right to where he stood.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he replied, walking with the papers in his arms, as well as the ink and pen on top of them. Carefully taking the top sheet, on which something had already been written, he promptly gave it to his master, along with the pen whilst holding out the ink.


    Not moving her arms a single bit, the paper hovered on its own, holding rigid against the splendid gales. Lacking any sort of crease or wrinkle while floating towards the demon holding her pen seemed to defy everything.


    Soon, Zyponia dipped the pen before touching the space left after a few words on the paper. Trickling less than he would have thought, the ink glued itself to the paper as she poured words onto it.


    Yet, as speedily as she did the process, Lutiel stared at the girl, her disposition waning. Unlike the day prior when she deftly wrote the words, at the current moment, she hesitated momentarily in a few instances.


    Seldomly, the curving of the letters went off course, the demon lord correcting her mistakes with a scribble over the imprecise grammar. However, they started to accumulate throughout the process. Just when she neared half of the paper, the fault she had amassed accounted to six.


    Silence followed a dot as she stored the pen in the holder Lutiel had in his left hand. Putting it there, along with the paper on top of Lutiel¡¯s arms, Zyponia remained unmoving, instead of going back to attacking the tree.


    Placed in front of her slave, she stared momentarily into his eyes. Nonetheless, before long, she turned back to the tree, under a bizarre gaze of the man.


    ¡®Was she trying to say something?¡¯ He puzzled himself with a straight face, quickly washing the thoughts away when Zyponia placed herself against the tree once again.


    This time, with a clear, deep breath reaching his ears, she raised her hands somewhat, sprawling out the fingers towards the ample oak.


    Her cloak no longer fluttered like before, the hairs returning to their casual style while the girl moved one of her legs back, taking on a ¡®stance¡¯, as Lutiel mused.


    Tightening the muscles of her hands, they shook slightly, at the same time changing the course of the wind. The man¡¯s eyelids raised themselves vaguely, his hair starting to move towards her.


    At that moment, he knew instinctively. He understood the need to observe the tree before something could happen.


    Much to his disheartenment, however, regardless how long he stood there, nothing came forth by observing the tree.


    Instead, a dispirited, clear sigh resounded through the space, catching him unprepared. Quickly turning his head back to the wail¡¯s source, he looked at his master, hiding her hands in the cloak like before.


    ¡°My lady, is something wrong?¡± He asked with a clenched jaw, getting a swift reaction. Zyponia turned around suddenly at his words, her usually composed face no longer visible.


    With furrowed eyebrows, she opened her mouth towards the servant.


    ¡°Why did you take the suit?¡± She asked tersely, making Lutiel keep to himself for a few moments, stunned at the lack of reason floating through his head.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but Luviene convinced me to,¡± he replied, making the purple-haired girl raise her eyebrow a bit.


    ¡°She did?¡± Zyponia followed, with more gusto than he ever anticipated. ¡°What else have you done together? Didn¡¯t I tell you to go in and just take the dress?¡±


    Although somewhat starstruck, he couldn¡¯t express it in any profound way.


    ¡°My lady? I didn-...,¡± he spoke up, or at least tried to before his words were cut off by himself, a striking hot, a searing pain mediating from the middle of his chest. ¡°After I saw her other form, she pulled me in and kissed me.¡±


    The man briskly fell to his knees, clutching his chest with a hand while the items slipped out of his embrace, descending rapidly. Before they could be soiled, though, they hovered above the ground when something seized them in the air.


    Stretching out her arms, the girl swiftly caught the papers, ink, and the pen holder while the man started huffing, a heavy breath ascending through his lungs.


    Looking up at the world with a clenched jaw, his vision no longer played ploys with him, starting to unfold through the hazy murkiness.


    At the same time, Lutiel no longer scratched onto his tie, the pain subsiding considerably.


    ¡°That vixen, I knew I should have gone there myself,¡± muttering under her breath, she kept staring at the slightly curled up slave, who began patiently raising himself up from the ground.


    Breathing as though he had just run around the manor a few times over, it smoothed out eerily in a matter of moments, all while regaining his reasoning through the space.


    Staring at the girl that glanced back at him, he felt her pink eyes scouring right through every bit of him, nothing to be kept before his master.


    ¡°What did she tell you?¡± A simple question left her mouth, but he needed to stop for a second and think carefully.


    Only after a few seconds passed did he finally utter some words, without a searing pain that clouded his mind anymore. ¡°She mentioned something about a ball.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, my lady,¡± grinding his teeth through the voice, he couldn¡¯t risk something getting blurted out. Even if Luviene advised him earlier, it wasn¡¯t loyalty he tried to evince.


    Keeping a blank face at him for a brief period, a sigh followed once again, a bit exasperated compared to before. ¡°Alright. There will be a party I¡¯m attending in ten days, and you¡¯re going with me thanks to her. You will have to tell Raeyine you¡¯re replacing her.¡±


    Hearing her, his eyebrows creased ever so slightly, pondering over the matter.


    ¡°My lady, did you not request a suit for me from Miss Luviene?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? No, why are you asking?¡± She questioned the man, looking at him with misty understanding.


    ¡®She lied,¡¯ he thought to himself, his lips parting soon after.


    ¡°She told me the opposite,¡± his voice quickly reached the ears of the demonic lady, prompting to spread her eyes wider.


    ¡°No wonder,¡± Zyponia whispered, on the verge of silence.

 17. Cheats Of The Heroes

    ¡°I figured already, but I¡¯m glad you confirmed it. I will have a long talk with her. As for the ball, you have ten days to learn how to control yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Stop clenching your jaw so angrily. I¡¯m sure you hate us, even if it¡¯s subconsciously, but the guests we will be meeting are special.¡±


    He blinked a few times at her words. Hearing it, he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°As special as you, my lady?¡±


    ¡°You can say so. I can¡¯t have you offend them by your gestures, so try to speak and do as little as possible there. Though, I already have an idea about that,¡± muttering barely tangibly near the end, she spoke.


    ¡®Are there going to be other demon lords?¡¯ His mind immediately ventured off into certain waters, but she kept mum about the matter, understandably so.


    ¡°I will try my best, my lady,¡± he said, lowering his upper body into a half-bow before she stopped him.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, then. Take the papers.¡±


    Floating through the winds, undisturbed, they easily landed on his sprawled out forearms. While he took care of the items, finally, his master moved in front of the tree again, poised incomparably to moments prior.


    With a straight spine, she stood unbeaten against the undulating wind, her unsullied shoes and cape gently fondling the green blades beneath.


    Closing her eyes, she waited calmly, basking in the fading sun. Suddenly, he saw as her eyes opened, quickly turning to the tree, which no longer remained so upright. Shaking unfathomably, in the same spot as before, a gaping hole had been left.


    Looking at the dark expanse forming inside the deep rupture that splintered off into countless areas from the center of the tree, if not for the oak¡¯s width, Lutiel feared they would have made it fall over on its side.


    Practically raining, the abscission covered them with golden amber leaves, some tainted with bloody red dots and streaks. Under the rustling branches from above, her voice came victorious, delivering itself to the man standing a few steps near her side.


    ¡°Lutiel, bring me a new page,¡± She said briskly, shutting herself up as she stared at a single point, somewhere.


    Not waiting a single moment, his hands were already moving to the papers, taking a blank, dark page from beneath. Unable to give it over quick enough, the paper, along with a pen that dipped itself flew through the space, arriving into her possession deftly.


    Moving a step back, Lutiel¡¯s face had become covered excessively as the wind blew his hair chaotically.


    Intensifying, it lifted the leaves off the grass, making them fall down only as they had gotten away from Zyponia¡¯s surroundings. Feeling the same as the weightless hairs of the oak, he needed to adjust his footing along the ground.


    And, once he could comfortably stand, he saw the girl performing things he couldn¡¯t have imagined. Not using a single of her arms unlike before, the paper stood still. Along the sheet, a pen floated through the air, arriving just before the sheet.


    Rapidly, words began being etched onto the papers as the ink was left behind, beautiful lines curved along without a single mistake. Unable to stop herself, she derived her thoughts upon the page, quickly covering one third before they both even knew it.


    As the wind passed, the page she had in front of her had been finished, the man trying his best to take a few looks at it, though nothing came from that even if he witnessed all of the letters.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now,¡± she said, turning to him before receiving a soft nod.


    ¡­


    ¡®Does magic refer to the act of manipulating materials around them, or are they able to do it purely because of magic?¡¯ A thought manifested inside his head while the nightwear he wore rustled against his skin. With the edge of his chin barely rubbing against the wooden panels, Lutiel pushed himself up, holding all of the weight using two palms.


    Standing using his hands, he ruminated on the matter, quickly realizing that he wouldn¡¯t get anywhere.


    ¡®Should I just ask her, out of curiosity?¡± He wondered, performing another push-up before a resolute answer thundered inside of him.


    ¡®No, there is no point. Even if they speak in demonic only, I can learn from Zyponia¡¯s lessons with her student and the research as well. I should write down what I already know, but asking for blank papers and a page could be suspicious. I can¡¯t risk them seeing the notes either.¡¯


    Thinking about the possible options at hand, at the same time feeling his shoulders and arms burn from the continuous exercises, Lutiel curled his knees to the stomach before standing on the floor once again.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The world around him spun ever so slightly, but the vision quickly went away as he bore with it. Raising his left leg slightly, he started to squat down, using only the right leg.


    ¡®Magic. I have no idea what it might be, though I know her words are false. It¡¯s not pointless, not for me nor any other human.¡¯ Moving down to the ground using a single leg, it didn¡¯t seem like he had any issues. Slowly, Lutiel moved back to the previous position, soon repeating the motion.


    ¡®From what I¡¯ve seen, it may be connected to the soul. Do they have wills so great the world around abides to them? But why weren¡¯t any of the heroes able to do so as well, then? Does it have to be even higher than that of a hero? Is that even possible?¡¯ He wondered, clouding himself just by doing so. Each question of his ventured off into countless more.


    ¡®Then, is it the mind? After all, Zyponia¡¯s mood seemed to affect her magic¡¯s accuracy. Or both at the same time? I won¡¯t be able to understand that aspect just by observing them. I need to gain Zyponia¡¯s trust, but for that to happen, I need to regain control over my body.¡± Musing inwardly, he promptly changed the leg to the other one, doing the same thing.


    His thighs started to swell with definition as more blood started to rush towards them, exhaustion overruling any sort of tightening when Lutiel moved down for the twentieth time already.


    Wobbling and spasming, the muscles soon got their share of rest as laid on his back, soiling his bare back with the smeared puddle of sweat on the floor.


    With a somewhat ragged breath, he stared at the empty ceiling, darkness prevailing all throughout. Calmly waiting, he focused on an important part of the new him.


    Staring at the dim mark absentmindedly, for minutes on end, something finally came over him.


    ¡®Would I be able to do it? To use magic if I train my will hard enough? Harder than even Raphael?¡¯ A heretical idea clouded his mind, but once it appeared, it couldn¡¯t get washed away, no matter what. ¡®But, would I still be a human by then?¡¯ For a few silent, yet roaring moments, he wondered,


    ¡®No, it doesn¡¯t matter if I can help win this war, even if all the lands are plagued with them.¡¯


    Staring briskly at the mellow lights peeking in through the window, Lutiel finally stopped lying down, quickly moving up to the same position as yesterday, when he awakened the hero¡¯s glyph.


    Calmly, he stood on the floor, his bare feet touching the cold sweat, but he didn¡¯t care about that. Without closing his eyes, he stood on one leg while raising the other slightly.


    All of a sudden, as his leg exploded at something spread in his imagination, a cold blue light illuminated itself through the room. Stronger compared to the stars lay beyond the window, his mark glowed, no longer in pain as it used to.


    Instead, as Lutiel delivered the kick on the height of his head, he stood in place, retracting the limb. Standing in the center of the room, his clothes thrown to be washed away, a tranquil sensation came from within, staring continuously at the hand.


    The light dimmed out gradually, his face disappearing into the dark. Though, the plastered look of confusion that broke his composed demeanor couldn¡¯t be missed.


    Finally, he started moving once again, placing his legs awkwardly across the panels, as though he didn¡¯t know what he was doing. Though, when he actually moved, having put his leg in a similar, yet fundamentally different position, he couldn¡¯t help but voice his astonishment.


    ¡®Is this what it felt like, Raph? I knew you were a cheater all along.¡¯ Thinking to himself while droplets fell along his face, he quickly smeared it clear whilst an unruly look broke out within his eyes.


    Following the leg at a certain point above his head, in a curved arch, the mark glowed brighter than ever, three of the four streaks brought out.


    Once again, he pulled the leg back to himself, and with his face returning to its usual look, he stood there in complete silence that started to creep up on his ears.


    Suddenly, his leg moved smoothly along the floor, arriving at the same point as a few moments prior.


    However, before he retracted it to the other leg, both of his feet were already turning, changing their positions to switch places. Brushing against the floor, his right leg stopped, elevated meekly.


    Not stopping for a single moment, he moved the leg previously used as an anchor. Although it straightened out only at the very end, once it did, the kick behind him didn¡¯t stagger or wobble a single sway.


    Despite the tired out muscles, the straight leg kept its position high above his head. Only after his chest heaved up and down a few times did Lutiel finally retrieve it, sweat dripping from his face like morning dew.


    Breathing harshly while frozen in space, his head tinkered to the pulsating feeling blasting from his right hand.


    ¡®I see, I have to flow even smoother. Don¡¯t be so tense in the legs. Instead, harden your center,¡¯ he mumbled internally, staring at the darkness with a distorted vision.


    His eyes only focused on what lay around him and his figure.


    Placing himself in the center of the room, Lutiel readied his body. Standing on both legs, he raised the heel of his right foot. The left firmly held against the cold, sweaty floor, the other one quickly flew through the air, cutting it in a smooth arch before repeating the same motion as before.


    Completing a half rotation, the leg stomped on the ground as silently as it could, trying not to alert the mansion¡¯s residents.


    He didn¡¯t kick to the side anymore. Changing the rhythm marginally, the same leg moved, reversing its previous maneuvers. Everything other than the waist and hips relaxed itself as he performed the kick, back in the initial position.


    ¡®Wrong, again. There¡¯s no point going all the way if I can¡¯t get the first half correctly,¡¯ he muttered in his head before taking the right leg behind his left. Just like the time he awakened the glyph, it cut through the air before stopping in the air.


    ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ It went back down, only to be repeated thereafter.


    The nightwear he wore should have already become beyond damp, dripping with sweat, yet as his heart raced and poured out buckets, before it could truly turn wet, it somehow dried off.


    Similar to his butler¡¯s clothes, which Lutiel couldn¡¯t foul no matter what sort of ground he walked through, they continued to keep themselves dry, the sweat dripping out of the long trousers like a slightly turned faucet.


    Countless more drops puddled around the floor while he kept kicking in the same way, his glyph lit up all the time.


    He didn¡¯t count how many he had performed, or rather, his focus lay on other aspects of the actions. After an unknown amount of kicks passed by, however, he didn¡¯t move it down to the ground anymore, staying above his head.

 18. Festival 1

    ¡®Finally,¡¯ Lutiel mused, promptly pulling the right foot down. Shaking slightly as he stepped on the dank floor beneath, invigorated, it fully touched the panels before replacing its counterpart.


    Despite how much his breath halted itself each kick he performed, under the ragged panting, he began kicking with his left leg, correcting himself any instance the right hand started itching.


    Although his throat began drying itself out the more kicks he performed, under the scrutinizing mark, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡®Easier, yet faster and harsher. I need to be more precise.¡¯ He thought as the leg traveled through the room, a faint hiss accompanying.


    Tens of more came after, but to his pleasant surprise, he soon stared at the leg that remained in the air, perfectly repeating the right one.


    Needing much less compared to the previous leg, his bottom soon hit the ground harshly. His breathing completely unsteady, Lutiel leaned his back against the bed¡¯s frame while his knees supported the elbows.


    ¡®So much just to learn the basics of a kick.¡¯ Staring at the dark room, illuminated by the fading mark around his hand, the man couldn¡¯t help but keep his eyes upon it.


    Long after it had dimmed out completely did Lutiel finally move, standing up through his teetering legs.


    Using the bed frame to raise himself up, the wooden panels were no longer flooded, the sweat having seeped through them and disappearing completely.


    Walking awkwardly through the room, he took the set of servant clothes he had taken off prior to his training, proceeding to the door.


    Rapidly, he found himself walking barefoot against the mansion, his soles remaining clean throughout. With a quiet saunter, he maneuvered through the corridors.


    His arms full of clothes, Lutiel carried them all the way before a certain pair of doors. Close to each other, the one on the right led to the baths, the other being the laundry room.


    He moved close to the left door, beginning to reach out for the knob, however, just as his fingers were about to grasp the metal, he froze when a voice tumbled around his ears.


    Beyond the doors, a soft mumble escaped, followed by another with a continual cadence. The gentle whispering hushed for air while shrouding a faint noise of a splattering fluid.


    Mild, it dared to mingle in with the breaths. Yet, as the plashing intensified, while Lutiel¡¯s curiosity neared his ear towards the wooden door, when he heard the moanings spread out behind the doors, he froze up.


    ¡°Nghhhh~¡± the voice prolonged itself, indulging in whatever lay beyond the closed doorway. Of course, he would have had to be a fool to think his actions wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed. Not a few moments after his ear grazed the outer layer of the door, the gasping for air stopped.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯o li nuent?!¡± A voice thundered throughout the corridor, not caring for those that might have been asleep already.


    Quickly, the doors opened fully while a shadowy figure revealed itself, gazing across the corridor back and forth, trying to see the perpetrator, but much to the figure¡¯s surprise, it couldn¡¯t find anything.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± the shadow mustered up before abruptly closing, back inside.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel stood with his back placed at the bath¡¯s doors, catching his breath from the sudden rush.


    His heart soon regaining its casual composure, he simply turned towards the bath.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just forget about that.¡¯ He mused while staring at the empty bath, closing the doors before dropping the clothes to the ground. Without waiting any further, he took off his nightwear, steamy water flowing into the tub moments later.


    ¡­


    His bare hands moved solemnly through the waters, a small knife inside his right hand while the other fished for something inside the large bucket in front of him. The metallic rims of them four bothered against each other, all wide enough to fit a couple chickens inside.


    Nonetheless, rather than chickens, potatoes sat on top of each other, peeking out from the sheer quantity. Lazing about inside the silty waters, Lutiel grasped one of them with his left before scraping the skin with lingering soil on it.


    The ones standing next to him followed his approach, a knife in their dominant hands, an identical vegetable engrossed in the other palm. All three began moving at different times, one nicking onto the skin, the knife going after the thumb before a peeling came off.


    One cut the skin continuously, a portion after portion, while the last one did a somewhat botched work, leaving the whitish-yellow flesh thoroughly rugged.


    Seeing it be thrown into the bucket with moderately fresh water filled with already peeled potatoes, one of the maids standing far right spoke up through the damp hairs hiding her features. Neglected somewhat, the oily mess on top of her head resembled seaweeds one could find sprawled across a shore, both in shade and shape.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to grate them?¡± She asked reservedly, with a quiet voice barely recognizable through the clamor they worked inside.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Filling the place abuzz, the hissing sizzle of a hot oil spread all the way from the large cast iron pot, bubbling pieces floating about at the top.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied to the girl, however his voice had been muffled out by a sharp response coming from the other side.


    In the middle of grating a potato, the grated pieces fell to the pile inside a wooden bowl while she stopped. With a petulant undertone, the voice beamed. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not peeling them already.¡±


    ¡°But you at least know how to,¡± the maid interrupted with the same soft tone, quickly adding while leaning behind the girl in the middle. ¡°I meant she¡¯s good at it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied, continuing to peel another potato in his hand. Meanwhile, while his and Raeyine¡¯s heads were lowered, only the girl with greasy hair could witness the eyes being rolled ahead of them.


    ¡°What does it matter? It¡¯s all going to be grated anyways,¡± saying so in an annoyed voice, she began quickly rocking her hand up and down on the metallic grater, more hash than ever descending down to its brethren in the wooden bowl.


    The head full of unkemptness moved up, stopping the hands from any motion. Stranding off from each other, the hairs unveiled bits and pieces of her face, dark red eyes glaring at the one before her. With no shine especially, she glared at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like wasting the flesh,¡± she said, slowly opening her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like getting dirt in my nails,¡± the girl with a single, curved horn on her teal head barked back at the gentle words.


    ¡°Just stop already,¡± the tallest maid of them all, standing in the middle of the trio, said suddenly while persistently peeling the skin off the potatoes. Cutting the one to her right before she could speak once more, Raeyine spoke again right after. ¡°He¡¯s already gotten the hang of it.¡±


    Not even looking at the man on her left, she said before the green-haired girl leaned in front of her. Her hairs not swaying the slightest bit as her body froze in place, she simply looked at the white-haired man peeling the skins off.


    She had to admit, when she herself used the knife, some lines remained on the potato flesh, but as he did it, the almost transparent skins left behind nothing, a smooth, round potato with no obscurities falling into the clear waters soon after.


    ¡°W-which one was this since you first started?¡± She asked with a somewhat shaky voice.


    ¡°Fifth.¡± With a concise reply, he stretched his hand to collect the sixth potato, following the same technique. All the while, the girl silently followed back to her bucket, promptly returning to peel the half-finished vegetable in her hands.


    Cutting with her head up, she fully focused on the potatoes after an overt smirk creeped into her vision.


    In the meantime, while she shut herself, the one standing close to the sizzling oil silenced it before an even louder roar came forth. Putting out the golden brown, round potato patties on the side to cool down, she promptly put the raw ones into the torrid, golden oil.


    Immediately, as the sizzling settled, she turned around, her eyes focused onto the girl with the wooden bowl.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯i dize-,¡± she began speaking in demonic, however, her words were stopped, interrupted by Raeyine.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± she coughed forcefully, making the girl with bright, brown hairs turn to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on something?¡±


    ¡°I forgot, alright? But still, do we have to always speak human with him here? It gets tiring after a while,¡± she said, getting a brisk nod of agreement from the grating maid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-,¡± Lutiel started speaking, though his mouth suddenly shut itself, on the brink of biting his tongue.


    ¡°As long as he¡¯s here, you will have to. Unless you have a way for him to understand demonic,¡± Raeyine replaced his speech, a silence pervading after her words for a few moments.


    ¡°Well, I very much doubt that. Fine, whatever you say, lady¡¯s maid,¡± she said sneeringly, walking closer to the bowl full of potatoes and taking it.


    ¡°How many are there left? I¡¯m going on a date later and I haven¡¯t had some nice plucking in a while,¡± the maid with a curved horn asked while leaning over the table, trying to take a peek at their buckets.


    ¡°You¡¯re so funny,¡± the black-haired maid sighed in exasperation, under the chuckles of the two girls arguing with her.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say something about speaking human?¡±


    With unimpressed eyes, she continued to peel the potatoes, not even staring at them anymore. ¡°I¡¯m taking a silver dracar off of your pay this week,¡± she said, immediately swaying their attitudes.


    ¡°Oh, Raeyi, it¡¯s just a joke, come on,¡± she said, eyes widened through her teal hair. However, hearing and seeing no response from her, the cooking maid reacted in her stead.


    ¡°Haiane, you¡¯re adding fuel to the fire,¡± she spoke while squeezing out the juices through a thin cloth she had just filled with grated potatoes. Gripping tightly, barely any fluid came out into the bowl anymore.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get,¡± mumbling softly under breath, almost inaudible through the colluded hairs, the green-haired maid spoke.


    Turning her head to the source of the buzzing noise, Haiane stared the girl down until the bowl once again came under the grater.


    The mushy sound of potato flesh being ripped apart reignited itself under the oil, the awkward silence only interrupted by them along with the cutting. The drenched atmosphere that had overtaken the five servants inside lingered around for a while, only attempting to be loosened up once Lutiel was a few potatoes away from finishing his bucket.


    ¡°So, how are you finding Miss Zyponia?¡± She asked, prompting almost all of the girls¡¯ heads to spark up at her, the cook focused on her work. Sending vexed glances at the reactions, she still kept it at the man, who quickly returned the look.


    Lutiel felt surrounded by all three of them, especially their expectant faces, but taking a keen look into Haiane¡¯s blue eyes, he spoke while clenching his stomach, his jaw and voice undisturbed.


    Recalling all the times so far he had spent with the lady, the man didn¡¯t hide himself. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, not impressing any of the girls gathered.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± The girl that tended for the potatoes asked, her back still facing the table. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s pretty cute?¡±


    His ears rang with the question while he continued to peel the skins, a straight face staying for all the time he stood in the same place.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare have such thoughts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we won¡¯t tell Miss anything about it,¡± the maid with a curved horn spoke, stopping in the middle of grating. However, as she looked for any change in his face, the one to his right finally stepped in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop this mindless talk. You¡¯re not making him any more comfortable with these questions.¡±

 19. Festival 2

    ¡°How do you like living here, then?¡± Rolling her eyes at the head maid, Haiane asked once more before Raeyine heaved a sigh.


    Thinking for a few moments in the silence, as he could no longer fish out a potato from his bucket, Lutiel raised his head leisurely.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± he said, with his typical face blank of emotions.


    Still, despite his impassiveness, a small smirk rested on the girl¡¯s face, priding itself at Raeyine.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like he would remember any better,¡± a soft mumble escaped through the room, quickly apprehended.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Haiane¡¯s smirk turned cold in the eyes. Nonetheless, the maid didn¡¯t speak back, her green hairs flowing low towards the skinning knife.


    ¡°Lutiel, help me so we get it over with quicker,¡± Raeyine intervened in their fleeting quarrel, seeing as the man had none left in his bucket. And, without too much brooding, her proposal had been accepted.


    The maids watched as Raeyine took the bucket belonging to the maid on her right, emptying it by putting her potatoes in the bucket in front of her. Sharing it along with the white-haired butler, she promptly looked to her right.


    ¡°Thoda, you go take another grater and help her,¡± she said while jutting with her chin, to which the girl freaked out.


    ¡°W-why? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, it will just be quicker, so get moving already.¡±


    ¡°O-okay,¡± she released a fine stutter, moving along the table with a slumped back, all the way until she faced Lutiel and the head maid.


    Just like that, with a silence permeating the kitchen once again, the majority of the servants focused on their tasks, their shadows morphing ever so slightly as the sun changed its position.


    Washing his hands in the kitchen¡¯s basin, the man distanced himself from the voices flowing about on the side. Drying them swiftly with a cloth that had become sullied over time, a pair of gloves came out from his pockets soon after.


    When it came to the second one, the right glove, he pondered for a few moments, staring at the pale skin around the middle. Although the mark didn¡¯t show around at the time, had he not focused, it could have readily gone off and glowed to the demons around him while he handled the knife on the potatoes.


    Though, as he pulled the glove up, he no longer glanced at it, turning his interest behind. Looking up at the round clock filled with intricate lines of fine metal stretching outwards, he took in what the unobstructed parts showed.


    ¡®Twenty three minutes until eight.¡¯ He mused, already observing what the maids were doing beside the huge pile of elliptical potato patties. ¡®Why did she wake us up to make so much food?¡¯


    Although he couldn¡¯t do anything but wonder about it, as the fried, elongated circles started to fit wholly inside the large wooden basket with an arched handle, the man didn¡¯t need to wait long.


    ¡°Alright, we can go now,¡± Raeyine said while holding the basket with both hands and staring at him beyond the three girls. ¡°What are you standing for, Lutiel? Come over here.¡±


    His eyebrows quivering ever so slightly, he walked closer at her request, despite attaining further doubts about the matter.


    Stretching out his arm as he neared the maid, he took hold of the basket. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her light face turning into a frown while looking behind the man.


    Though, when the man standing in the center of the room turned around, all he could see were plain faces staring back at him.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Haiane asked, only to see Lutiel¡¯s body turn around forcefully, a certain hand on his shoulder doing so.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, we have these fritters to worry about instead,¡± the one holding him said, quickly starting to push on his back, towards the doorway.


    Still, seeing her actions, the sleazy maid behind jeered through her head. ¡°Inbie gove tias¡¯o, Raeyi, tias gotovelie crav. Oops, I forgot about our little agreement, hehe,¡±


    Stopping for a second while Lutiel kept his pace towards the doors, the head maid glanced back at the one whose curved horn hailed to the ceiling. The smirk on the bawdy girl, however, was quickly washed out as Raeyine stared her down, not a slightest of breaths coming out of her mouth.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back in a few hours. Don¡¯t even think about sleeping before you finish cleaning the whole mansion,¡± she said, her gaze kept especially at the girl standing in front of two others.


    ¡°What?!¡± Haiane asked rowdily, on the brink of a scream. The two beside her, albeit not voicing it, shared similarities to her around their faces.


    ¡°Thoda, you take care of the Lady,¡± she added without caring for the girl, her back already facing them.


    While the maids were left in the middle of the kitchen crippled with dismay, the duo holding the food moved through the corridor. Aiming for the space enlightened by matutinal rays of sun ahead of their way, Lutiel briefly looked to his left, where a tall woman found herself.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A few steps of silence followed the shutting of the door, but as he carried the bucket, her mouth moved eventually. ¡°Are you curious about what they said? It was nothing phenomenal, frankly.¡±


    He didn¡¯t move his head around this time, keeping up to the decisive steps taken by the girl. Opening his mouth while gazing through the wood-riddled corridor, he showed interest in something else. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer immediately. Her eyes moving to the side, she witnessed him with their corners. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet up with Rovier first. We don¡¯t have too much time.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said with a plain face, watching as the open space came ever closer to them. Not many steps later, the man already saw the grand hall of the mansion¡¯s ground floor. Donned in marble all around, the walls accentuated themselves with engravings stripped of past significance, replaced by new masters of the lands.


    However, as much as his sight wandered around, Lutiel quickly focused on the entryway up front, the large doors leading them both to the destination.


    The maid opened them, and when his hairs began swaying, the eyes immediately went down towards the basket.


    ¡°They will get cold by the time we arrive,¡± he said while looking at the girl, however, he wasn¡¯t able to witness any distress from her features.


    The composed expression slightly breaking as she exhaled a giggle, Raeyine spoke through the smile, ¡°Check for yourself. Move your hand close to them.¡±


    Stopping just before the doorway, Lutiel held the basket with a single hand before the left one waved around above the potatoes. Creases appeared around his eyebrows as the white glove carried a new layer of warmth around it.


    Moving it away, the glove quickly warded off the winds along with the excessive heat, coming back to normal before the wearer brought his head at the girl.


    ¡°Is it your magic?¡± He asked suddenly, her mien wavering slightly. From a calm smile, the edges curved up even higher.


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Before he could assess her words and looks, she had already turned around, walking towards the old coachman placed among the horses. Without missing a beat, he started treading after the fluttering uniform.


    A similar sight of the past few days repeated itself before him. Paving stones rode through the ground, in a circular pattern around the small fountain, leading off into different paths. Yet, no matter how many dawns had passed, staring at the tall bushes gardened to a precise angle, as well as the sparse, verdant trees, Lutiel¡¯s eyes never seemed to fade their intrigue away.


    Standing inside this manor, despite having a moderate amount of clothes on himself, he didn¡¯t need to shield his body from the piercing winds of the ashen skies.


    Of course, as he looked at the coachman¡¯s horn, as well as Raeyine¡¯s grayish nape, he understood the reason for all of the great phenomena happening around him. It was the work of magic.


    ¡®Is the gardening maid responsible for this? But, on such a scale?¡¯ He walked closer and closer towards the carriage, his mind constantly occupied these days.


    However, as many questions as he had, they only grew with time without ever decreasing, it seemed. Once again left with no answer, he let it float away inside his head as the maid before him opened the doors.


    ¡°After you. And don¡¯t worry about letting them fall,¡± she said, gesturing towards the white seats.


    Not objecting to her words, he simply got inside while tilting the basket for it to fit the doors. Staying in the same place as before, the fried fritters soon rested on the floor, right after Raeyine took her spot opposite to him.


    Quietly, Lutiel saw as the gardens around the mansion began to move away, waving their goodbyes to them. At the same time, he noticed something in the corner of his left eye.


    Turning his head to the girl staring right at him, a voice struck through his ears clearly. Eye to eye, the duo of servants didn¡¯t wane away from the other.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the town. Sorry for not bringing it up earlier, but I didn¡¯t want to speak so casually inside the mansion,¡± she said immediately, the first sentence as concise as she was capable of.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied quickly with his usual blank face, as well as the new, relaxed jaw of his. ¡°But, I want to know one thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Why did we make this?¡± He asked, gazing down at the basket.


    Following his movement, Raeyine also looked at it, prompting her mouth to open up. ¡°Ah, right, I guess you would wonder about that. It¡¯s an annual festival, you could call it.¡±


    ¡°A festival?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she nodded, their heads already sprung back to prior positions. Looking at the purple eyes lost in wonder, the maid didn¡¯t feel like he truly reciprocated her gaze. So, with a spreading smile, she started anew.


    ¡°Yes, a festival celebrated across all of the Aseun, though that¡¯s a bit ironic,¡± she chuckled by the end, not looking into his eyes herself this time. Though, she quickly regained propriety. ¡°Do you remember a demon named Magon?¡±


    His murky pupils trembled at the name while he froze internally. ¡®Why is she bringing him up?¡¯ A thought popped to his mind while looking at the maid with a straight face. As shocking as the reveal was, he couldn¡¯t let his control go awry. He felt his right hand itching at the call of his name, but he needed to keep it in check.


    There was no way of knowing what sort of horrors he would be subjected to if the demons came to realize of his glyph and he didn¡¯t want to test that so quickly after his years-long slumber.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I figured. Your memory loss basically wiped you clean, except for your name.¡±


    ¡°Was he someone important?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, he was. He was one of the demon lords like Lady Zyponia, actually, but that title had been long since stripped off of him.¡± She said, a regrettable expression filling her face. The maid¡¯s vision drifted off to the right as she recalled the events, immuring the man as he listened with a pale face.


    ¡°Did he do something wrong?¡± Lutiel asked suddenly, making Raeyine turn back to him, the poor airs around her immediately disappearing, even a faint smile seemed to emerge gradually.


    ¡°Yes. He did something inexcusable,¡± despite the face, her tone harshed up at the start, only to fade away as she said the last part, at the same time making the man squeeze his eyebrows. ¡°He betrayed us by killing the one you¡¯ve all been named after.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He asked right after, the words blurting out on their own. The creases around his forehead increased as her voice tumbled around in his ears.

 20. Festival 3

    ¡®The one we¡¯ve all been named after? Lutiel?¡¯ Suddenly, his eyelids twitched as he recalled a certain person. One that bore his name, the one that led a revolutionary army.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He added immediately, so we wouldn¡¯t simply go over the matter and leave him oblivious.


    Raeyine stared at him for a moment, but she didn¡¯t restrain any words. Looking at his faintly confused face, a small smile was plastered on hers. ¡°Magon killed saint Lutiel ten years ago, and ever since then, a lot of your kind has taken on the name, at least the male kind.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea. But I can tell you that lady Zyponia almost wanted me to change your name to something else because of that,¡± she said, cackling silently as she corrected her glasses.


    Before he could speak or think about any of it, stunned, Lutiel heard her speak once more. ¡°Every year since ten years ago, on the second Lusday of the thirteenth month, we come together to mourn his death, as well as burn Magon¡¯s figure at stake. Not only has he betrayed the demons, he also cowardly killed himself and the heroes that tried to save the saint.¡±


    Although her face was no longer as remorseful as a few moments ago, Raeyine tightened her fist slightly, much to the clutter inside Lutiel¡¯s head.


    ¡®Mourn my death? The demons?¡¯ His voice thundered across the mental space, unable to understand her words in shape or form. All of it merely seemed like a fuddle his head made up.


    Yet, as he stared at the vividly amber eyes looking back at him, he knew it wasn¡¯t a dream. ¡®Is she lying? But she has no reason to. My face is completely different from back then, and as she said, there are probably countless Lutiels out there. I¡¯m nothing more than a random, insignificant human to them.¡¯


    With a constantly deadpan face, a hardly changing look for him, Lutiel thought solemnly for a few harsh moments, but no real solution came through. He could only consider the words to be true, despite the horrendous, almost gut-wrenching tides inside him.


    Restraining the shock eventually, however, the man slowly opened his mouth. He couldn¡¯t let his current state dictate his character, so he clenched his stomach in advance.


    ¡°Before I lost my memory, I must have changed my name to that man¡¯s, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s most likely the case, yes,¡± she spoke while vaguely nodding her head. ¡°Tell me, do you want to recover your memories?¡±


    ¡°I do, I think,¡± he said with no certainty, after waiting in complete silence for a good few breaths.


    ¡°Although we can¡¯t stop it if it happens, don¡¯t wish for it, if you want an easier life at least,¡± she said suddenly, his eyebrows flinching momentarily.


    ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t that be better for Lady Zyponia?¡± He asked, only to see as Raeyine shook her head in response.


    ¡°It would be the opposite for the two of you. As of now, you¡¯re quite mellow, but what if you began hating us all of a sudden? Do you think the lady would appreciate that from her assistant?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied tersely, making her continue.


    ¡°Exactly. The brand would be used a lot more to restrain your actions,¡± the girl added, her smile slowly disappearing. Similar to him, she wore a blank look near the end.


    Then, they fell into a silence as the trees passed by through the windows. Nonetheless, after a few breaths, he spoke anew.


    ¡°I won¡¯t think about it, but do you think there is a chance?¡±


    ¡°A chance, huh?¡± She asked, a brief, riveted look interrupting the calm around her face.


    Looking at the nod he gave her, she crossed her arms whilst a raised right eyebrow simmered down. ¡°If you were a demon, sure, but right now, you can only count for yourself suddenly recalling parts of it.¡±


    ¡®So magic can also do something like that, huh?¡¯ He thought to himself before glancing beyond the panes. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s forget about it, then.¡±


    Yet, as he witnessed the passing of skies and lands from the carriage, she kept at him instead, her yellow eyes piercing through his paleness.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, only then turning to her, who found herself cracking a meek smile.


    ¡°I heard that you took my place in the ball,¡± Raeyine spoke, making him think silently for a blink of an eye before he recalled it.


    ¡°Did Lady Zyponia tell you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she was just as surprised that I didn¡¯t know yet. Someone was apparently meant to inform me,¡± she said, creasing her eyebrows on purpose, though she stopped as soon as the man replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it completely fell out of my head.¡±


    ¡°I was just joking,¡± Raeyine said, giggling lightly before a more solemn face sat in front of him. ¡°However, I do have to tell you, she really did do you in, that fox.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Yes? Do you mean Luviene?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she hummed in confirmation. ¡°You see, the ball is basically a welcoming party for high standing demon guests.¡±


    ¡°Like Lady Zyponia?¡± He asked, but much to Lutiel¡¯s surprise, she shook her head.


    ¡°Similar, but our lady still outweighs them. However, one other Lord just like her will also be coming there.¡±


    ¡°Is Luviene one of the guests?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, but you don¡¯t need to care about her,¡± she said, her voice faltering slightly at her mention. ¡°The guests, although not as special as the Demon Lords, are still important, and there will be a lot of them. I¡¯m sure they will bring human slaves of their own, but no one will have them dressed as formally as you.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just not go?¡± He asked plainly, unable to grasp the reason for their seriousness. From Zyponia to Raeyine, they acted as though he had to do it.


    Unlike the one expression he wanted to see, Raeyine¡¯s face stood still in an awkward silence before she scratched the side of her neck. ¡°Not really. The guests already know you will be coming together with the lady, so there¡¯s no way out of it.¡±


    ¡®Isn¡¯t she supposed to be one of the most important demons there?¡¯ He asked himself before quickly forgetting about the matter.


    ¡°But, as I was saying, you aren¡¯t going there as Lady¡¯s human slave, but rather just a slave,¡± she said with a light smile, though it quickly faded away after seeing his plain expression.


    ¡°How is it different?¡±


    ¡°Well, no demon treats a human slave with such care, most don¡¯t even give the normal ones such elegant clothes, unless they were a wealthy noble. Still, we have you to our advantage,¡± she spoke while the other listened with a half ear.


    ¡°Because I have the looks of a demon?¡± He blurted out all of a sudden, to which she shut herself, a blank look coming towards him.


    ¡°...Yes¡­ but not in a bad way. Actually, with your looks, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they considered you a part of some fallen noble household.¡±


    ¡°So, I just have to not act like a human?¡± He said, her face souring once again as she realized what she and Zyponia were asking of a person who had recently lost all of his memories.


    ¡°...Yes,¡± she spoke, waiting for a second before adding on. ¡°But we have six days for that. I¡¯m sure you will learn plenty of demonic ways by then.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t speak your tongue,¡± he added, making the silence even louder than it was before, the girl¡¯s face turning rigid.


    ¡°Right, right, I completely forgot about that,¡± she mumbled under her nose before her eyes quickly jolted up from the carriage¡¯s floor. ¡°I have an idea. We will make you a mute. They won¡¯t bother you that way.¡±


    Her eyes almost glimmered as she came up with the proposal, however, Lutiel mused doubtfully at the words.


    ¡®She¡¯s lying.¡¯ Looking at the prominent eyes of the demon, the thought lingered around his head, only interrupted a few moments later by her yet again.


    ¡°However, remember one thing. Never, under any circumstance, get into a dispute with another demon.¡±


    ¡°Why should I get into one?¡±


    ¡°The guests, they will be a bit haughty, you could say. Regardless, don¡¯t get provoked by them under any circumstance, alright?¡± She waited as the words fell onto his ears, a solemn face staring right at him.


    ¡°I understand,¡± with a terse tongue, Lutiel spoke while Raeyine smiled in appreciation. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Let me see. Other than keeping quiet and staying close to Lady Zyponia, I think that¡¯s all. I know you will manage, so don¡¯t worry about it. Six days is enough to make a leaf fly,¡± she spoke, waving her hand as though it was no big deal.


    ¡°I¡¯m in no place to choose anyway,¡± he said, making her giggle clumsily before they both enjoyed each other¡¯s silent presence. Watching as the bleak clouds floated powerlessly through the sky, the man had to stop not long after, the carriage coming to a halt.


    Hearing the same conversation as always play out, they were swiftly granted permission to enter the town. The horses¡¯ hooves dirtied themselves along the muddy ground as they trotted towards the street, the wheels turning in similar fashion.


    However, unlike the steadfast, grim atmosphere the one inside the carriage had always witnessed on the streets of the city, he stared at the half-built buildings in the distance, no slave going up onto them.


    The demons, nearly all dressed in plain black clothes, walked solely on the sidewalks, the road in the middle emptied since the chained humans no longer carried them.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯ Lutiel wondered with a somewhat broken eyebrow. It wasn¡¯t like this usually. So far, he only saw as the humans were being pulled onto by their chains, dragged through the muddy streets after falling down. Yet, images glimmered inside his pupils when the eyes followed their doleful shades.


    However, as dreary as their attires were, his insides wavered with bewilderment at the exuberant attitudes. With giddy airs, the small, demonic children ran about, holding up sticks with a certain head on top of them.


    Not only them. The taller demons had a stick of their own as well, though slightly bigger than that of their children. At a leisurely pace, no worries beat in their chests.


    His eyes didn¡¯t blink as he tried to get everything into them, but the time still came when they crossed the street, moving forward with constant pace.


    Glancing at his curious face, Raeyine smirked faintly before also looking outside of the windows. Similar to the other one, the street was riddled with a crowd of demons on each side, carrying a face whose eyes had been covered by two undulating horns.


    ¡°It¡¯s his face,¡± she said, looking back at the man before her.


    ¡°Magon¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We use them after the main ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± He asked, though an inkling where she was going with this curled up inside his head. Turning back to see her yellow eyes, he saw them glimmer inside the carriage shrouded by shadows.


    ¡°Burning his body at stake,¡± the light crease of the maid¡¯s lips blossomed into a full smile, her voice trembling throughout his ears. ¡°It¡¯s an important, as well as the prettiest part of the festival, but sadly, we won¡¯t be able to witness it.¡±


    ¡°Are we going back to the mansion after giving the food out?¡±


    With a nod of her head, it was all he needed to know, so he promptly shut his mouth, quickly observing the congested streets.


    Even when the road obliged them to turn right, it was more of the same. Demons hailing the death of the old Demon Lord to spite his soul.


    No matter how many blocks of residential buildings had passed his sight, all Lutiel could see were demons dressed in black clothes whilst marching towards the market square, as though mourning the death of their beloved royal.

 21. Festival 4

    ¡®Should I feel happy that so many remember me? I don¡¯t know what this feeling is.¡¯ His thoughts mingled with the confusion he met earlier. Once again, Lutiel found himself mindlessly staring at the city, unable to come up with a concise decision.


    ¡®It feels like more has happened this past week than the past few years before losing to him,¡¯ he mused while a sudden turbulence caught him off guard.


    ¡°Ah! We¡¯re here,¡± the maid exclaimed suddenly, raising herself from the seat while he blinked at the place, filled with stalls all around, different sorts of demons running and walking along the street.


    Following her reactions, he stood up before grabbing onto the basket. Having already opened the doors on his left, she awaited the man.


    His white hair swayed immediately, but he had no plans to correct them. Standing on the bricks from the steps of the carriage, Lutiel heard the doors click behind him before the maid took hold of his right arm.


    ¡°Our stall is that one right there,¡± she said before he could react to the jolt around his bicep. Upon the sudden force, his legs almost staggered out into the ground, but he quickly found his footing, treading along with the lady.


    A completely empty stand fitted itself amongst a sea of competitors, shining like a star through a gloomy night, waiting for those who strode through towards the market able to fit two streets inside.


    Barely dodging the demons they passed by, he started having thoughts of speaking out to the maid, but with eyes kept on the back of her shoulders, Lutiel simply followed.


    He didn¡¯t look at anyone other Raeyine, however, much to his surprise, the blaring glances didn¡¯t come out despite his deepest beliefs. No, he saw them graze his collar, but only for a breath before they had gone back to themselves.


    So, the man raised his head, a horde of demons all around. Although not dense enough to the point of not being able to move, their numbers were still imposing.


    From dresses and gowns to suits and cloaks, all of them blended in with the same shade while moving through all the different stalls.


    Suddenly, he glanced to the side, where a small child with dark blue scales kept staring at him, especially his marking of a slave. Yet, before long, their parents lowered themselves to them, turning the child around before speaking something intangible through the racket spreading in the crowd.


    Similar throughout the space, he felt as though the gazes only blinked at him momentarily, quickly blending with the winds.


    Still, as he recalled the words of the maid next to him, the man could only solemnly clench his jaw before matching their pace.


    Placed along the facades of buildings, all of the stalls had similar, yet different items. Themed after the two most important people, Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows rose as he saw a small wooden figure of a human male, standing in armor whilst a spear hailed the heavens.


    Wavering in his steps as the girl pulled onto him, quickly, the stand disappeared from his sight, much to his dismay. Looking back quickly, however, he could no longer see it, the demons behind them blocking his sight.


    Nonetheless, he shook himself up internally, getting rid of the pointless feelings. Instead, he observed another stand from ahead.


    A fine cloth reminiscent of the sky fell on top of the stall, unbothered by the piercing wafts. Empty of any item except for trays, a purple fabric sprawled itself across the table, covering the front of the stall down to the ground.


    Soon, they stopped before it, placing the basket on top of the table while Raeyine walked around. Following her on the side, he soon stood next to the basket, taking the fritters out of the basket onto the wooden trays.


    However, before Lutiel could take even ten of them out, his eyebrows creased as the unknown tongue creeped inside his ears.


    ¡°Tomi tis yast cin?¡± Quickly, his eyes followed the high-pitched voice, but he couldn¡¯t find the owner no matter what, at least in the vicinity of their stall.


    ¡®Magic?¡¯ A suspicion alarmed the man¡¯s head, swiftly stretching out his vision along the market. Yet, seeing nothing except for merchants and their stands in the middle and on the sidewalks, Lutiel soon heard a voice coming from his right.


    ¡°Un visce,¡± her voice beamed while he stared at her face, a happy smile looking down at something.


    Quickly, the sole man with a collar leaned to the side vaguely, looking at the small fingers grasping onto the purple cloth near the edge of the table. A small, green head with large, glimmering eyes stared up to the left, but mainly, the focus of the little girl was placed on the steaming potato fritter in the hands of the tall lady.


    With a shiny gleam, the snack reflected itself in her eyes while Raeyine took a soft, brown paper sheet from beneath the stand before wrapping it around the bottom so the little girl wouldn¡¯t burn her fingers.


    ¡°Nuen ges gan,¡± Raeyine spoke while handing it over to the small hands, making the girl with muddy eyes stand there for a second. Feeling the warmth come out of the food in her palms, she quickly looked up at the maid with glasses, a prominent grin welcoming her.


    ¡°Tanki ges!¡± Her soft voice escaped the lips as she abruptly stormed off under the stands, trotting between the legs of the demons.


    With a somewhat refreshed mind, the man no longer tensed himself as much, returning to placing the fritters on the trays while voices similar to the first girl started to pour out from beyond the stand.


    Kids began lining up in waves beyond the basket he stood behind. Varied in practically everything, the one thing that connected them all were the shabby clothes. Even then, as they awaited for the free food, Lutiel could see their black attire, which looked like different dark rags sewn together amateurishly.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Turning his head to the right, he focused on the one lady with the black and white uniform, once again halting the task at hand.


    With a smile on her face, she replied to the boy with dark scales sparsely covering his neck along with two sharp fangs resting on the upper lip.


    ¡°Nuen li ges¡¯e,¡± her gentle voice reached the ears of the kid, who briskly stretched out his arms, nodding his head repeatedly in gratitude.


    ¡°Tanki ges, Panyi,¡± he muttered under his breath, leaving space for other orphans to get their share.


    ¡°Arn inli balle,¡± she spoke whilst her head was turned to the left, on the man she came here with.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, starting to work on distributing the fritters once again. With a quick glance at the action, she promptly sprung back up at his face.


    Suddenly, something flashed in the corner of his eyes, but before he even knew it, his hand had already sprawled out, three silver circles inside his palm. Slightly bigger than what he was usually given, he looked at the girl with his habitual, blank face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me. Go around and have some fun today. Also, you don¡¯t need to pay me back, it¡¯s just fifteen dracars,¡± she said, slightly shrugging her shoulders as her head turned back to the kids.


    ¡°Is that fine?¡± He asked in confirmation, to which she didn¡¯t even turn around.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just as fast by myself here.¡±


    ¡°When should I get back?¡±


    ¡°In about two hours?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± with a concise voice, Lutiel¡¯s right arm quickly left the basket while he simply left the stand to wander off on his own. Staring at his back the moment he turned around, Raeyine ignored the voices coming from beneath for a while, snapping back with a smile a couple breaths later.


    ¡­


    Just as Raeyine advised him, he had trailed outside of their stall and gone around the market for a long while, experiencing the festival. Walking along the square, glancing at all the different vendors with countless options of hot foods, as well as many different shops with normal items, he eventually crumbled to his own curiosity.


    Standing still a couple of steps away from a certain, busy stall stuck inside his mind, his head pointed towards the ground, where he could see two wooden figures inside his right hand.


    Clattering against each other as he held them, his sight first focused on the left one. Truthfully, it was the one that had remained inside his head once he witnessed it being sold to countless demons. Under an adroit hand, it had been carved expertly, to the minute details.


    ¡®I don¡¯t remember ever being painted.¡¯ A thought lingered inside his head whilst looking at the face of the armored figurine. With hair flowing right about to his chin, he took a clearer look at its posture. Thrusting to the heavens, his right hand grasped tightly onto the spear¡¯s handle.


    With a right foot forward and his body tilted, the sight became clouded when his eyes couldn¡¯t go anywhere else. ¡®It¡¯s me right before I attacked Magon¡¯s hideout, huh?¡¯ He concluded, his purple eyes lingering at the figure a few last seconds before changing to the one on the right.


    Immediately, the atmosphere changed. From a soft, welcoming look of the human sculpture, an erratic scenery engulfed him.


    Feeling the scraggly, sharp scales scratch against his palm, Lutiel saw the miniature version of Magon, which was still larger compared to his past self. Painted as black as the night, the protruding, natural armor revealed bony white skin underneath, similar to the one around his neck and face.


    With his back unswerving, the demon lord stood tall, legs spread out from each other while the left arm remained low at the hips. The other, sprawled out along with the claws, seemingly pointed towards something.


    However, as much as his mind wanted to venture around the past, he knew there was no point in doing so. ¡®We¡¯ve both died in the end, no?¡¯


    Nothing but the sole thought outlined itself, Lutiel moving promptly. Squeezing himself through the traffic of tens of demons walking down the street, he heard some squeals he couldn¡¯t understand, but he didn¡¯t really try to be apologetic.


    The sound of two dolls falling to the ground of bricks was completely devoured by the cacophony of steps and voices, the previous owner dropping them there in his stead.


    He may have paid a full silver dracar for both him and Magon, though in the end, it was only to satiate his curiosity. Since he had done that, there wasn¡¯t really anything else for him to do in this space. The one they mourned was right in front of them, but he had no plans of revealing that.


    Glancing ahead of him, he looked at the street going uphill ever so slightly. Glancing at the signs covered in decapitated heads, all belonging to Magon, as well as different decorations plastered all across the buildings, his attention quickly left them in search of new ones.


    In a long, black line, wide cloths connected the facades of the street¡¯s dated buildings. Running through the masses, costumes of large, inanimate demons caught his eyes before looking ahead a second later, walking towards the only stall in his mind.


    ¡®I¡¯ve looked around for long enough,¡¯ He mused to himself while finally arriving where the place was. Or at least should have been.


    The inner parts of his eyebrows creased together as he looked to his right, standing near the supposed stall belonging to Lady Zyponia. The colors were the same, however, seeing the mass of adult demons standing beside it, he quickly came up to see what had happened.


    Raeyine was no longer behind the purple clothed table, some demonic man with a rotund, bubbly face replacing her. Spread out on the table were plain looking, wooden sticks, each roughly the same length.


    As odd as it appeared for the man, seeing as a dainty lady in a black dress observed one of them closely, he quickly turned away from the place, going back to where he disposed of the figures.


    Although she wasn¡¯t there anymore, he would simply go back to the carriage since it wasn¡¯t too far away from the place.


    Once again, under the irritated moans, the human slave battled around through the ongoing demons. Their shoulders grazed against each other, but Lutiel didn¡¯t care, even if a few of them intentionally pushed harder.


    Looking at what lay behind, his eyes scoured through the place, but no matter how far his sight extended, he couldn¡¯t see the carriage.


    ¡®Did he move it while we were gone?¡¯ The man wondered to himself, slowing down considerably. With a leisurely pace, he moved his legs, eyeing any resemblance of the girl he came with. Nonetheless, the demons before him were far too eye-catching.


    The dim colors of their skins and hairs sharpened themselves under the dark covers they wore. Together with their special features, it was hard to tell apart anything in the horde of hundreds of demons in one place.


    ¡®Should I just wait somewhere?¡¯ Walking along a few buildings where no stalls stood, he thought to himself beneath the eased clamor in the space.


    Yet, a prickling sensation grabbed the hold of him, drilling at his nape. Standing a few steps away from the buildings divided by an alleyway, his body became inert all of a sudden.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ He wondered while the left cheek met some sort of a wall before quickly disintegrating, going right through it towards the darkness without any explanations. Unable to realize what was happening, Lutiel swiftly felt his left side radiate with pain as the body fell to the ground.


    His face skidded through the bricks while a red patch grazed itself onto his cheek, blood glistening dimly in the murky, narrow alley.

 22. In The Face Of Magic

    Luckily, with a head clearer than ever, Lutiel¡¯s eyes quickly focused while getting up from the hard floor. Although he had become quite dirty, both on face and clothes, the latter didn¡¯t succumb to much destruction.


    Apace, he caught the surface below with his browned gloves, pushing himself off of it. With a faltered breath, his shoes had already found their footing across the space, the man looking behind at the opening with keen eyes.


    From beneath the shadowy air, two figures unveiled themselves, walking through the entry of the alley. Passing along unbeknownst, the demons on the street kept on walking, not even talking a glance at what was happening.


    ¡®Are they pretending not to see it?¡¯ Lutiel thoughts flew through the space, but they were briskly occupied by a somewhat new, yet familiar sensation.


    Deep inside his chest, the heart fluttered abuzz as he witnessed the duo of demons before him. Stood on the damp bricks, they stopped walking just a few steps away.


    All gathered equaled roughly the same stature, the demons ever so slightly taller, but not because of any horns. Free of them, only basic, vibrant hairs protected their heads from the shivering winds.


    In front of the other demon, the one with a mossy head broadened a grin while revealing his crooked, uncared for teeth.


    ¡°You must be Zyponia¡¯s little boy, eh?¡± He asked, scratching his mellowy bearded chin with the claws he had for fingers.


    Lutiel¡¯s limbs moved slightly at his words, especially after hearing his own tongue from the get go. Not opening his lips for the vaguest of breaths, he stared at the two demons whilst his head cluttered for answers.


    From a quick glance before, the way behind him was closed off by a spiked fence. There were no doors in the pokey passage, leaving the only escape behind the demons. Yet, wouldn¡¯t he get caught by the ones on the street if he ran away from these two?


    ¡®What do I do?¡¯ the words soaked inside his mind, flaring with each passing moment until a thought slipped inside inadvertently. ¡®Should I just kill them? ¡­ What?!¡¯


    Screaming internally at his own figaments, his eyebrows suddenly clenched at the men dressed in leather armor, omitting the traditions set by others of their kind completely.


    ¡°Save your energy, screaming won¡¯t help you regardless, okay?¡± The second demon voiced out, moving to the side before stopping as well. With a face and hairs practically the same as the on to his right, only a few, wimpy details differentiated them.


    ¡°So, how about you give us that coin you possess?¡± The other followed briskly in his question, giving Lutiel a knowing look.


    Nonetheless, he remained quiet like before, a question continuing to linger in his mind. He pondered on the second one¡¯s words carefully, quickly realizing the issue at hand.


    ¡®Have they thrown me into a magical alley?¡¯ Musing over the idea, he didn¡¯t find it very unlikely, especially since none of the demons ever glanced inside the alley. ¡®Is it concealed to the demonic eye? Am I able to see it because I can¡¯t use magic?¡¯


    However, he couldn¡¯t be kept in the state for long, the same demon breaking his smile slightly.


    ¡°Are you deaf?¡± He asked with a threatening tone. ¡°Give us Zyponia¡¯s coin.¡±


    Staring at them with a straight face, Lutiel promptly moved his left arm. Going down to the pocket, he could practically see their smiles widen even further.


    Though as he brought out the large coin with a sword and a staff crossing through themselves, he didn¡¯t move a hair¡¯s breadth, much to the souring of the twins¡¯ faces.


    ¡°Are you talking about this?¡± Lutiel asked with a blank look, making the first demon nod his head.


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t have to cripple you if you toss it right away, so don''t be stupid.¡±


    Glancing between the dour faces and the glistening coin, although there were two of them, Lutiel didn¡¯t fret. His heart quickly calmed down, even if his head was about to explode from the grinding it experienced.


    ¡°Why would you want it? It¡¯s just a silver coin with some crest on it,¡± he asked, making them stagger back for a breath before frowns developed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not for you to know. Hand over the coin if you don¡¯t want to die,¡± the demon said while clenching his jaw. Looking at the white-haired man with solemn eyes, the one they were targeting didn¡¯t budge at all, except for a faint shake of his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he said with a curt tongue before tossing the coin back inside his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to lose it.¡±


    Lowering his chin slightly, the demon inhaled harshly before tightening his claws into a fist. ¡°Then, don¡¯t cry too much.¡±


    All of a sudden, the demon¡¯s feet moved from the bricks, running towards the man a few steps away with his arm ready to be thrown. Leaving his brother behind, the other simply observed the fight that was about to play out.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel stared at the man coming to him with a blank face. They were just a couple moves from each other, and the time needed for the punch to be delivered didn¡¯t amount to much.


    Still, looking at the slow movements being played out, he couldn¡¯t help but instinctively move his legs.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    A flash passed the green-haired demon, his eyes changing rapidly as he felt a change of surroundings, as well as a stinging sensation.


    The man¡¯s foot moved through the alley, dragging the body before it crashed into the building on his left.


    With a horrified expression hidden immediately as it was shown, the standby assailant flinched while hearing the thud of his twin¡¯s body plopping down. Without a second wasted, he ran over to check for him, who was hurled with great force.


    Nonetheless, curled up, the demon robber kneeled on the ground, stretching out his arm to stop any help from ever reaching him. Slowly getting up under the glares on both sides, the man gnashed his teeth while looking up.


    ¡°I will break his arms as well,¡± he said to his brother, receiving a brisk nod in response. Caressing his cheek for a few moments, the brows furrowed while looking ahead of him.


    A slave butler stood with a calm face, as though their assault was nothing in his eyes. Under a glare that seemed to calculate everything, the demon grit his teeth to wash over the sensation.


    ¡°Chera intimau,¡± he snorted silently, muttering under his breath before running forward with even more explosiveness than before.


    Although they stood closer than before, just one strong step was enough for him to arrive next to Lutiel. Bereft of harsher options, he kicked towards the buttoned stomach, only to be met with a wall of arms protecting.


    Slightly, the man slid on the ground before catching hold of himself, his purple eyes persistently kept on the enemy.


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t have kicked for the second time. Even if they seemed to be novices in combat, Lutiel¡¯s mind saw his foot getting trapped by his left arm.


    Before he knew it, the demon¡¯s hand was already moving towards his face. However, he stepped back easily before a soft waft reached his cheeks, quickly replying with his own attack.


    At least he meant to. As he flowed deftly beside the stretched out arm, something flashed in the corner of his eyes, a second frame identical to the first demon.


    Another punch was coming, imminent at a quick glance. Once again bringing up his arms, Lutiel promptly felt his back graze against the wall behind him, the punch holding him still for a brief moment.


    However, it wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t handle. With their arms twined together, he thrust the man away before swiftly running back to the previous spot.


    ¡°What, are you getting scared?¡± The twin in the center asked, a rank smile creasing on him. His brother shared the jeers, equally as rotten teeth revealing themselves.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± he added before charging at the unsuspecting face of the human.


    The brother followed immediately, both of them throwing themselves at Zyponia¡¯s slave.


    Cutting through the air, their arms were only a hand¡¯s reach away from his body, however, he nimbly adjusted before dodging.


    Yet, it was all in vain, it seemed. Just as he evaded the closest fist, the other quickly altered its course, stopping him from going anywhere.


    In less than a blink of an eye, he felt his shoulders being tugged, his body thrown at the floor. With the back battering against the tough bricks, his face clinched itself powerlessly.


    Getting his arms to the ground, he started to move away before any of them could get to him. But it didn¡¯t last long.


    Unable to block, Lutiel saw tightened knuckles right in front of his eyes, a sharp sensation following as his head cocked back to the ground.


    The dark buildings above glistened in a twisted manner while the gray clouds practically shone in contrast to them.


    His chin jolted along with the beaming pain spreading around his jaw. Still, under the tumultuous sight in front of him, he needed to get back up.


    Trembling throughout, his ears kept ringing, deriding laughter intertwining through the forest of hum around. Standing beside, he saw their faces filled with sneering smiles, waving eerily under his hazy vision.


    Kneeling down closer to him, one of the brothers pulled his right arm back before the smile disappeared, replaced with a focused glare.


    ¡°You should have just given us the damn coin,¡± he said as the fist went straight at the man¡¯s face.


    Yet, out of nowhere, the demon¡¯s brows furrowed in pain and perplexity, feeling a hard surface lacerate through his hand.


    And, before he could grimace, the mien around his face changed forcibly when a tightened, rough fist rummaged through it. Moving rapidly under the stress of the punch, his body was sent flying backwards, instantly hitting the building¡¯s wall on the side while the other twin witnessed everything in shock.


    ¡°Pird¡¯o!¡± He shouted with eyes contorting in anger, immediately going after the human rising himself once again. His leg traveled through the alley rapidly, momentarily appearing near Lutiel¡¯s head.


    Then, it suddenly stopped, confusion and rage seeping through his expression before the man he attacked raised his head, having caught the leg with his left arm.


    A harsh breath escaped the demon, pulling with his leg with all the might he possessed, but the human did not move in the slightest. Instead, he was the one to pull him, their face and fist meeting together.


    Just like he did before, the twin followed in the fate of his brother, the only difference being he hit the other wall instead.


    Groans and huffing filled the alley as the twins lay on the cold ground. Their faces seemed detached from reality, as if staring into something far beyond. Not even a full minute had passed, yet their situations had reversed all the way.


    Standing next to the sprawled out legs, Lutiel stared at the faces with a cold, composed look, wondering to himself.


    ¡®They could get back to themselves any moment,¡¯ he thought before coming closer to the right twin, grabbing him by the neck and tightening his grasp, though not to the point of breaking it.


    With immediate reaction, the demon started to shake, trying to oppose him. Though, without losing his grasp, Lutiel continued to strangle him out of consciousness.


    Wriggling in his control, the demon caught his forearm tightly, digging into it with his claws, but it was all for nothing.


    His eyes starting to roll back while the clenched jaw loosened, Lutiel didn¡¯t wane beneath the reactions, however, his eyes widened, feeling the air intensify from below.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ He asked himself as the hairs on his nape raised themselves. A dangerous feeling lingered in the air, escalating as he dropped the twin.


    Coughing tremendously at the release of pressure, the twin whose vision had come back, stared at the man trying to back away from the place.


    But, it was all for naught. In the very last moment, he brought out his forearms next to his chest before an imprint appeared around them, in the shape of a sphere.


    Lutiel¡¯s teeth gnashed as he clenched his jaw, opposing whatever it was, yet, as he heard and felt a loud crack around his arms, the sphere drilled deeper, tossing him through the alley like some lifeless doll.

 23. The Duality Of Magic

    Bouncing off the ground, his body rolled all the way towards the fence, stopping with a loud clang as his back dented the metal ever so slightly.


    ¡°Ah, ugh,¡± he moaned as his limbs felt inert, especially his arms. Broken in half on each side, lifting them wasn¡¯t an option.


    At the same time, riddled across the entirety of his face, cuts and gashes appeared while a crimson liquid flowed obtusely. Gazing at the distant world painted red, he saw as the demon on the right helped his brother, both flustered about.


    Despite it being practically inaudible, he was still able to make out the sounds they were screaming to themselves about, despite speaking in the alien tongue.


    ¡°Gien! Geas inlea rekomia kiz bei junt!¡± The one that raised the left twin shouted, grabbing onto his head while the other finally walked on his own, limping slightly.


    ¡°Geas? Arn lei ges! Ugh!¡± The second clamored in his direction, quickly grabbing himself by the throbbing head.


    ¡°Tig, tig, aefrkozs ges mive. Ges nayd yast kiz teug it un nuen,¡± his brother also barked back, visibly frustrated at the situation they found themselves inside.


    ¡°Argh! Kozs scelo geas bie?¡±


    The question lingered in the air around the two suspended in their tracks. Despite their clear blunder, they didn¡¯t move from the place, letting the harsh breaths coming from Lutiel lead their time.


    Yet, eventually, they glanced at one another with a pucker around their brows.


    ¡°Art inli nuen,¡± they spoke at the same time, incredulity echoing across blemished faces.


    As though gazing through a dawning cloak of fog, his clouded vision flickered as he tried to move his head. Unstable, it swayed powerlessly as the mouths of the demons turned towards him.


    ¡°Scelo geas ilku qell ars¡¯o?¡± One proposed, his brother suddenly closing his eyes in thought.


    ¡°Tis inbie crav, ila ars¡¯e umafi li intege¡¯e nuen. Bie ges crav junt maa?¡± He asked after opening them, clear blue marbles turning to the other twin, whose head nodded briskly.


    ¡°Junt li kozs¡¯t tis zeipi,¡± he replied before the two of them once again turned to the man lying on the fence, his broken arms flopping on the ground.


    A few tens steps away from him, his sight suddenly shook as he saw the demons act. From beneath his bracers, the twin on the left brought a long piece of sharpened metal, ending with a finely decorated handle.


    Brought out into his right palm, the straight dirk wasn¡¯t gripped tightly. No, it barely stood a moment inside his hand before lying there as he opened it.


    At the same moment, it hovered above the sprawled out fingers, floating up in the air before settling in space.


    ¡°Zyponia, tis gits geas intane tiri afi dho umev,¡± he said with a smile brewing on his face, similar to before he was mindlessly shaken. ¡°Arn li ges¡¯e llere kiz bic vic vinis.¡±


    Lutiel¡¯s breath and heart hastened seeing the dagger position itself straight at him, directly where his slave¡¯s brand lay.


    Quickly, with his eyes always on the demons, he hoisted the arms up, trying to defend the spot as best as he could. However, adding to his physical agony, the demons only snickered at his attempts.


    ¡°It seems they forgot about you, hehe. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re doing you a favor with this. Unless you wanted to be tortured by your master,¡± he added before the flying knife disappeared from its position, accelerating towards Lutiel with a fearsome force.


    He hadn¡¯t finished a proper breath before half of the distance was cut.


    With gruesome smiles, eyes collared with avarice, the demons awaited his death, already walking towards the corpse.


    Still, as they saw the knife hovering in the air once again, suspended before it could graze the slave¡¯s clothes, their bodies convulsed from the get go, realizing that their suspicions were nothing but wrong.


    Unable to see through the arm, the human closed his eyes in anticipation, only to open them back once the sound of wind being cut disappeared, replaced with a stutter of the demon tongue.


    ¡°C-c-ciko! Geas tomi plin!¡± One of the brothers shouted with desperation glittering his voice, prompting Lutiel to fully uncover his sight, promptly witnessing a brutal scene.


    Standing behind the twins, a certain maid held onto their shoulders, making them cower subconsciously.


    Muttering nothing coherent, before they even noticed it, two small knives squeezed themselves through the side of their necks. The red liquid engulfed their necks acutely, strength leaving together with it.


    Standing in the middle of the alley, the girl turned her yellow eyes towards the bent fence, gazing at the man.


    ¡°Rae-¡± he managed to mutter out before his eyes fell apart. His head going down, the human¡¯s consciousness swiftly faded into slumber while the maid¡¯s shoes hit against the bricks rhythmically, right towards the human.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡­


    Lutiel glanced at the cold ceiling as his eyes shook themselves up. Having opened the eyelids abruptly, he had been staring at the single point for a while now.


    ¡®Was that a dream? No, it couldn¡¯t have been.¡¯ The man wondered to himself, but the idea evaporated quicker than the thought manifested through the hazy veils of memory.


    He was stinging all across. Through every fiber of his upper body and arms, he felt as though he had been sleeping under a boulder that fell upon him.


    However, one thing was certain to him. Regaining a clear feel for the muscles, Lutiel moved them faintly under the duvet, with no excessive pain forming internally.


    Taking the cloth away, he stretched the arms towards the ceiling, looking at the pale, yet bruised skin of his, with no swollen places around the middle. Slowly moving up to his eyes, the right hand fell upon his clear face.


    Nothing seemed to be there anymore. All of the injuries he had sustained while bouncing off the bricks were no longer a reality, smooth skin replacing them.


    ¡®I¡¯m healed, somehow,¡¯ he mused. Watching his arm¡¯s muscles constrict and relax properly, he couldn¡¯t help but stay inside his mind, for just a slight moment more. Even if he didn¡¯t want to think that, it all amounted to one thing.


    ¡®It¡¯s magic. My broken nose was also healed by magic.¡¯ With blank eyes, the arms fell down to the fair duvet before he once again focused on the ceiling of his room. ¡®Will there ever be no magic involved?¡¯


    However, asking himself, the man stopped for a second in the approach, realizing something.


    ¡®Did magic save me at that time? Does it mean I owe my new life to it? To the demons¡¯ prowess?¡¯ A conflict circled around inwardly, only to spiral away into the darkness.


    Taking off the cover around his bed, Lutiel¡¯s face winced as he moved his bruised body. Steadily, he used his arms as support, turning to sit on the edge before standing up fairly easily, his legs taking the least amount of damage in the confrontation.


    ¡®What day is it?¡¯ He pondered while staring to the left, looking at the sun that rose timidly. With a somewhat dingy sky, the darkened clouds poured over, though only in the distance. No droplet formed around the window of his room.


    Soon losing focus, the man turned to the opposite wall instead, where a set of clothes awaited him neatly, ready to be exchanged for the nightwear he had been sleeping inside. Looking down at them for a few breaths, his mind didn¡¯t fester ill feelings for those who had changed him, quickly taking a step towards the chair.


    As per usual, it was all the same. An identical set of clothes from his wardrobe lay folded on the table, prompting him to take off his clothes down to underwear.


    Without waiting any longer, he started in a similar style as days prior. Firstly, he put on the socks, followed by the dark trousers and a light shirt. Firmly packing it beneath the black fabric, he tightened the belt before skillfully folding the tie over on itself into the way Raeyine had taught him.


    Buttoning the vest that held his tie in place, Lutiel put on the jacket that matched his pants, only to put on the wholly white gloves on and go down to the shoes.


    However, as his eyes landed on them, he stopped for a second. Grabbing the shoes, he noticed something on their glossy surface, reminiscent of the events unfolding in the city.


    The light coming from the window flickered under the scratches and light grooves breaking down the black leather. Immediately, Lutiel¡¯s mind shook faintly, recalling whatever happened that day.


    Feeling all of the times he had bounced off and rolled on the hard bricks thanks to that invisible might, his body started hurting once again.


    ¡®Is this what I¡¯m supposed to fight against? Something so powerful, yet I can¡¯t even see it?¡¯ His eyebrows furrowed completely as he sombered over the matter. Even if he had won against them physically, there was nothing he could do in front of that power.


    His eyes started to break away from their shine, the grip around his hands loosening to the point of making the shoes fall down harshly to the ground.


    ¡®Even if it¡¯s the holy capital, what are they to do in this situation? They too must have fallen already.¡¯


    Finally, as the thoughts lingered inside his head, he glanced at his right arm. Specifically, at his right hand. With but a single will, something started to battle against the natural rays before waving off into the darkness.


    ¡®What are you for, then? Why were humans chosen to be heroes?¡± He asked himself, ending the thoughts with a long and harsh breath. He didn¡¯t know anything, and pondering over the matter would only bring about illusions.


    Standing up, he quickly opened up a drawer of the desk before taking out a shining, round can containing a wax-like material alongside a brush.


    Slowly, he brought his shoes back to their proper state, no scratches or damage seen on them any longer.


    Putting them on, the man meant to come closer to the doors, but before he could, his head turned to the noise coming off them.


    Three knocks sprawled out through the space while he stared at the door.


    ¡®Raeyine?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but think. After all, she was the one to help him the most around the house. However, his face came back to its usual composure after hearing the voice.


    ¡°Lutiel? Are you awake?¡± Thoda¡¯s voice traveled from beyond the doors, resounding clearly in the man¡¯s ears. She stood there, waiting for a few moments in complete silence while he didn¡¯t answer. Though, just as her body started to turn, she stopped.


    ¡°Yes, you can come in,¡± he spoke softly, looking at the doors beginning to open up before nearly touching the wall on their right.


    The same way he remembered her, the maid walked in with her messy hair that covered almost all of her face except for the nose. With her hunched back, Thoda stepped on the squeaky floors before stopping in her advance, looking at the man all dressed up.


    Glancing at him for a few moments, in a quiet, but not unpleasant silence, Lutiel wasn¡¯t able to tell whatever she was searching for on him.


    Still, such thoughts were quickly dispelled as he heard her speak with a gentle tone.


    ¡°How are you? Do you still feel pain anywhere?¡± She asked while the butler creased his forehead ever so slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sore, but there¡¯s no lingering pain,¡± he replied with a spry tongue.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± the girl added, nodding. ¡°You will be ready to go to work quite quickly, then.¡± Raising her head slightly as she spoke, although the hairs separated slightly, he still couldn¡¯t see her face properly.


    ¡°What day is it today?¡± His question made the girl quiet down before pondering for a few seconds.


    ¡°Huvday,¡± she said with excitement before quickly calming herself to a more serene nature. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for about forty hours now, but that¡¯s a given with the amount of injuries you¡¯ve had.¡±


    ¡®Two days passed, huh? It¡¯s a shame I missed my training, though I still wouldn¡¯t be able to do it with those wounds.¡¯ He dwelled on the fact for a brief moment before swiftly cleansing his mind.


    ¡°I see,¡± he uttered plainly at the girl.

 24. The Demons Pupil

    With a silence permeating the room after he spoke, Thoda kept her hands on top of one another, putting them delicately at the base of her stomach and standing there silently. As though waiting for him to speak, her body was constantly turned towards him.


    Yet, as he was about to ask, she once again opened her mouth whilst shutting his one.


    ¡°You did a good job back there. I heard you had some tough opponents,¡± she cheered him on, but he simply stood there, unresponding. Dismayed at her words, the gears inside his head churned painfully.


    ¡®No, no, she must be trying to appease me,¡¯ he wondered before sighing internally, glancing up at the girl.


    ¡°Thank you, but if it wasn¡¯t for Raeyine, I would have been dead already.¡±


    ¡°What matters is that you didn¡¯t give them your coin away,¡± she said all of a sudden, clapping her hands cheerfully at the same time.


    However, Lutiel looked at her eerily, not even noticing when a question left his lips.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± He asked, at once freezing the noises in the room. The jolly mood around her stature disappeared and a flustered movement of her arms waved about.


    ¡°Eh, eh, no, I didn¡¯t say anything. I was just wondering about something. Actually, I came here to inform you about Miss Zyponia in the first place,¡± she babbled with swaying hairs, quickly changing the topic. ¡°She wants you to come to her room.


    Glaring at her with coldly reserved eyes, Lutiel remained silent for a few moments before sighing once again as he saw her fidgeting about.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± He spoke, however, as the words left his mouth, she already darted out of the room, leaving it open to the world.


    Left alone in the space of his room, the man could only close his eyes patiently before also leaving, promptly walking through the corridors of the mansion.


    While he headed for Zyponia¡¯s room, he met nobody on his way, allowing him to think about the girl¡¯s words. ¡®They were watching the fight through magic,¡¯ he mused while turning right and constantly walking forward.


    ¡®Then, why would they disappear all of a sudden, only to reappear at the last moment?¡¯ The thoughts formed naturally as he stared at the different portraits of Zyponia, all in different styles and most likely by different artists.


    ¡®Are they trying to gain my trust by saving me? Was all of that fake?¡¯


    He entered the grand stairs, walking up one by one before quickly ascending to the top floor, his mind plagued constantly.


    ¡®But, would Raeyine actually kill them if that was the case?¡¯


    Finally, he stopped thinking. It was as though his mind went blank once he stopped before Zyponia¡¯s doors.


    Nevertheless, he breathed firmly before knocking on the doors of the room he hadn¡¯t visited prior.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, my lady,¡± he said, receiving similar treatment he gave Thoda. A few steps away from the large, ornate doors, he stood quietly, waiting for any sort of response that didn¡¯t seem to be appearing. Not even moving his head, the butler seemed more like a statute rather than a human.


    ¡°Come in,¡± suddenly, a voice resounded from the doors, to which he replied correspondingly. A rigid hold of the handle made it move downwards before they gave way, brisk light encroaching on the faintly shrouded corridor from the interior.


    Opening one of the doors on the right, an unfamiliar scene beheld the man crossing the doorway. Stopping in the middle of his tracks, he stared at the two demons standing close to the windows of the grand bedroom.


    Having cleared up in the little time he spent going through the hallways, the sun revealed itself, enlightening those basking in its glory. On the right, donning a faintly limpid gown, stood the one that made his chest burn. Her purple hair glistened under the sunlight, falling calmly onto her back, her turned to the side eyes glancing daintily at him.


    An opened book could be seen in her right hand, one akin to those he had previously seen in the shop with ink. Together with her body, they were turned towards his left, where a certain person could be seen, completely different from the people he saw inside the mansion.


    Slightly shorter than the blue-skinned demon, her dress practically blended together with her. If not for shadows disturbing her features, Lutiel would have had trouble discerning her face.


    Pale beyond his contrast, her snow-white image drew him towards the eyes, which were the only thing varying from the rest. As blue as the skies beyond the dark clouds, the man saw as they glimmered like gems of some sort.


    ¡°Lutiel,¡± Zyponia said all of a sudden, breaking him out of the weak reverie. Blinking two times, he glanced back at his master, who still had her focus on the girl. Although he didn¡¯t know what to do in this situation, he still stepped forward on the carpet surrounding most of the bedroom¡¯s floor.


    With a steady arm, he closed the door while keeping his eyes towards the two girls. Even though he hadn¡¯t seen her face before, a belief had already set inside his mind on who it might have been.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Almost scrutinizing, the girl¡¯s gaze plundered through his body. From the shoes, going all the way to his head and remaining there for longer than other parts, she pondered something whilst he came closer.


    With an abrupt turn, while the man was still a couple feet away from them, her head went to the demon with two horns, her own head bearing none.


    Covering the mouth with her pillowy white hand, she spoke despite the man¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Token¡¯o, li junt ars¡¯o?¡± Her soft, on the verge of silence voice still reached his ears, but he could know nothing of what she spoke regardless of any tone.


    ¡°Tig, junt li tis¡¯e involni. Ars tane bic dho cin geas tomi zic kiz tacpunt dho intimau ciel,¡± Zyponia said eagerly, her lips moving swiftly while the girl¡¯s face beamed somewhat. Her eyebrows moving up, they promptly calmed down as she turned back towards the human.


    ¡°Tis vidi,¡± she said, keeping her eyes towards a certain area around his body, just below the neck.


    ¡°Lutiel, do you remember what I told you a few days ago?¡± His master asked as he finally reached them, standing a few steps away from the two.


    Slowly, he nodded at the question, looking at the lady while a white-skinned girl stayed in the corner of his sight. ¡°You told me I will be your assistant in teaching, my lady.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± she said, moving her head away to look at the girl. ¡°She is my student, the first and the only one I have ever taught.¡±


    Turning his head as well, he once again stared at the girl, whose soft features of indifference began to change rapidly.


    From the emotionless look on her face, a subtle smile formed as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°My name is Camilla un Haziel. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± with a naturally calm voice, she stretched out the frail-looking arm and waited for the man with her hand in the air.


    Despite somewhat of a change in his facial expression, he didn¡¯t let her wait for too long, grasping her soft hand while she shook it vaguely.


    ¡°My name is Lutiel,¡± he introduced himself, even though Zyponia already uttered his name twice.


    Ending the greeting after exchanging names, Camilla pondered about while staring at her hand for a few breaths, though she quickly lost interest, returning to the lady.


    ¡°Teacher, are we starting right now?¡± She asked, her long, white eyelashes fluttering about while glancing between her and the man.


    However, before she replied to her disciple, she first opened her mouth to her sole male servant. ¡°Are you capable of moving freely?¡±


    Struck by the words, he let them sink inwardly. Wondering what all of this was about, he couldn¡¯t help but recall her statement about some experiment with him.


    A few of their breaths passed by as he finally opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m a bit sore, but I can bear with it, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said, eyeing him from the top to the bottom briskly. ¡°You can strip now, then.¡±


    Frozen in place, he stared at the two girls mindlessly, as though not believing what he had just heard. ¡®Strip?¡¯ His mind wreaked havoc. What sort of teaching assistance was this?


    ¡°Yes? Naked?¡± He asked in confirmation, only to receive weird faces from them. The eyebrows of Zyponia creased after hearing him while Camilla smiled ever so slightly.


    ¡°No, strip down only to your underwear,¡± she replied, with a somewhat more stern voice than usual. ¡°The first portion of the lectures is learning the anatomy of humans. After that, there will be a main lecture outside of the mansion.¡±


    Although she had somewhat cleared up her statements, Lutiel still had no idea what all of this was for. But, regardless of his thoughts, it had to have been something that dealt with magic, so he began to unbutton his jacket, as well as all of the garments beneath.


    One by one, the pieces fell to the floor, wrinkling erratically around him. Though, as he stood with just his underwear in the bedroom, his leg moved all of the clothes away, including the gloves that used to protect his glyph.


    As much as he didn¡¯t want to leave his right hand unattended, he couldn¡¯t excuse himself under the gaze of the two demons. ¡®I just need to keep myself at bay,¡¯ he mused while staring at the girls who didn¡¯t hide the interest inside their eyes.


    His pale body lit up slightly under the bare sun beyond the windows, emphasizing the naturally formed muscles he had acquired through the years-long slumber of nothing but floating in darkness. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t strictly them. Lutiel also peeked down, witnessing the skin.


    The man was already aware that his new body was special. After all, the power it contained was more than astonishing when he compared it to his peak before imprisonment. Using it after just a few training sessions felt practically effortless, the body listening to most of his commands freely.


    The veins around the body protruded as blood rushed through them and back to the heart in a rhythmic motion, further fuelling the pronounced muscles.


    Keeping their eyes on it for a few moments, Zyponia finally shook herself clear. With a quick look at his face, she opened her mouth. ¡°We have prepared a few exercises for you. You just need to complete them until I stop you or you can¡¯t any more.¡±


    Nodding softly, his head followed the lady moving over to her large bed, wooden cases visible on top of the cleanly arranged bedding. Curving along the edges, golden lines adorned the auburn faces of the four crates, each varying in size.


    Two of them were relatively small, roughly the size of his collar while the rest dominated in length. Though, as the first one, Zyponia chose a chest from the smaller sizes.


    A couple steps away, she didn¡¯t maneuver her arms in any way, standing still while the chest began being lifted up in the space, leisurely floating about towards the man.


    Pausing his glare, however, Lutiel looked at the snowy girl instead, precisely at her eyes. Glimmering in a specific way, they constantly followed the chest with marvel entwined within. Staring at the gems he could never know the feeling of, he promptly revived his attention around Zyponia¡¯s actions.


    The chest hovered practically in front of him, but it washed over the slave with an impassive attitude. He had already seen her move a rock around with utter ease, so he judged it couldn¡¯t have been that much different to do so with a wooden box.


    Still, his thoughts disappeared quickly as the chest finally landed on the carpet, right before his virtually glabrous legs. Lowering his head at the object with mystery contained inside, he looked at the front side¡¯s crest, where a lock situated itself, slowly beginning to open up without any external aid.


    Just like him, the other two inside the room also looked down at the chest, swiftly witnessing the insides. A round ball of cold metal, clear of imperfections, rested in a nest of dim red cushion, set in a little divot to keep it from rolling about.

 25. Experiment On The Slave

    Staring at the silverish ball able to fit whole around his palm, Lutiel didn¡¯t need to wonder for long to understand the use of it.


    ¡°Take it and throw it as hard as you can,¡± Zyponia said with a composed face, staring blankly at the man in her vision.


    ¡°I will damage the furniture, my lady,¡± he suggested, glancing up at the demon, who seemed to have found his statement amusing. A mellow smile took shape on her mouth before glancing directly at his eyes.


    The man then turned to Camilla, only to see her also veiling a smile with her hand.


    ¡°I guarantee you won¡¯t,¡± Zyponia spoke with a calm tone before it warmed up slightly. ¡°Though, if you do, you won¡¯t get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said with a straight face before moving down to the chest in the next breath, his right hand swiftly engulfing the ball within its grasp. However, as he gripped it, Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows puckered while Camile looked ahead with silent mirth. Zyponia, on the other hand, faced the man with crinkled eyes, focusing tautly.


    The veins around his right arm bulged out as he tensed it, clenching his jaw to grip harder. With a struggle more tiresome than fighting against the twin demons, he had scooped out the ball, supporting it with both hands, though it was still trying to oppose his strength.


    ¡®What kind of metal is this?¡¯ His mind furrowed while looking at the ball in his hand, a hastened breath escaping his nose. Despite looking like a normal, tough sphere made out of iron, it stripped him completely of brawn.


    He was meant to throw it with all of his strength, but just holding it was enough to make his arms useless.


    The demonic lady finally stopped looking at him with the blaring, pink eyes, sighing faintly. Seeing as his arms practically gave out, she simply opened her mouth, only to shut it back up a moment later.


    ¡°You can just hold-¡±


    However, before she could complete the sentence, Lutiel breathed out while thrusting his upper body to complete the throw.


    With a raised eyebrow, she, along with her student, watched the man in complete silence. Leaving his grasp, the ball didn¡¯t travel for long, almost immediately falling to the ground since there was little force to begin with, but he still threw it, much to her striking astonishment.


    Though, quickly clearing her face of any reaction, a cool expression replaced it. ¡°Do it again,¡± she said while an increasing glare scoured through his body.


    ¡°... Yes, my lady,¡± he replied amidst staggering breaths, watching as the ball moved through the air towards him unlike the prior scuffle. Tensing his muscles once again, he felt the sudden increase of mass around his hands as the ball stopped flying.


    However, he wasn¡¯t able to keep it this time around. Quickly, it fell down to the ground after slipping through his palms. Yet, just before it could properly graze the carpet with its weight, something from below caught it, transporting the item to the crate from which he first took the ball.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. You still did good for your first time,¡± Zyponia said suddenly as he breathed for more air, his chest heaving up and down. Yet, hearing her finish, his arms felt a cool sensation, the strength he had spoiled to lift the ball returning instantly.


    Yet again, the man¡¯s eyebrows creased under the wondrous event. The veins that previously bulged out receded away, the muscles relaxing as warmth returned. At the same time, his breath quickly stagnated back to its normal rate.


    Before he could ponder about any of it, however, she added on. ¡°For the second one, lift it up to your stomach while squatting before returning it to the ground.¡±


    As he nodded, the first wooden case rapidly moved to the side while another one left the bed¡¯s surface, slightly bigger than the last. Landing in the same spot as before, it swiftly opened its top, revealing another metal ball to the slave with nothing but underwear and his collar.


    Roughly the size of his hand, it was much bigger compared to the previous ball, making him wonder how she even wanted him to do the exercise. Putting the thoughts away however, Lutiel quickly lowered his body, squatting before placing both of his hands on the ball.


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯ He mused, much to his surprise. The weight of the two metal balls seemed identical, despite their clear difference in size.


    Raising the ball up to his stomach, he brought it down the next moment before breathing calmly for a moment. Then, he repeated the motion under their intense gazes.


    Five times were needed before his arms and thighs weren¡¯t capable of moving anymore, dropping the ball and himself just as he was about to stand up.


    With a quickened heart and breath, he sat on the carpet, resting under the sweat that started gathering around him. Though, once again, a brisk air brushed past his skin, covering it in goosebumps as well as bringing him a fresh motion of vim back.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Standing up with utter ease, it was as though he hadn¡¯t exercised at all, except for the sweat clinging to his skin. Coming back to the intricate case, the ball moved to meet the first box while the man saw another case rustle on the bed.


    By far the longest of them four, as well as thinnest, it slowly descended down to his legs, revealing what appeared to be a staff, nothing changing in the composition of the metal.


    Of similar girth to a broom¡¯s handle, it instead made up in mass with its length, though Lutiel wasn¡¯t sure whether he should trust his common sense anymore. And, just as he had suspected, once he picked the staff under Zyponia¡¯s instructions, it felt practically the same as the other two.


    Clenching his hands against the shaft, as his master told him, he raised it up before holding the staff still for a few seconds, only letting it fall to the floor once the shoulders began to heat up.


    However, after a few moments of steady, calm breaths of the clean, unadulterated air, he lowered his body under their constant glare. They were not letting up even for a slightest brief, for reasons the man couldn¡¯t find nor explain whatsoever.


    Picking up the metal once again, his jaw strained itself as the muscles around his arms tensed tougher, raising the staff above him before stretching out his limbs and holding the weapon in place for a few seconds.


    Yet, quicker than before, the shoulders began burning intensely while his posture wobbled with uncertainty. Flowing down, the staff quickly made its way to the carpet while he needed to catch his breath anew.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that one,¡± the purple-haired demon said, moving her right arm towards the staff a few steps away. Floating in the air immediately, the staff was promptly stored inside the chest before going back to the rest of the crates.


    ¡°Now, for the last one, you have to swing it, in whatever way feels right for you,¡± she continued right after, with a tone softer than usual, and one that was directly aimed towards him.


    Turned straight at him, the demon saw as his ragged breath became easier, the used-up muscles relaxing with tremendous speed. Watching the face of her slave butler, it was clear that he had become quite perplexed, but she didn¡¯t say any more on the matter.


    Longer than the two balls yet shorter than the staff, the last chest was wider, reminiscent of a certain shape inside Lutiel¡¯s head.


    ¡®A sword? That¡¯s a shame,¡¯ he mused while following the flying chest, however, he didn¡¯t display his disappointment to the lady in the slightest.


    Still, thinking of the matter silently, the man declared forthwith. ¡®I can¡¯t just tell her I¡¯m used to the spear, so I guess I will have to use it for now. Sorry Raphael. I will have to break our promise for now.¡¯


    Falling down onto the carpet, the item inside swiftly unveiled itself to him. A long, sleek, and sharply caressed edge glistened under the light. The fine, silver blade fell down to the guard made from the same material before a black, leathery grip covered most of the hilt. The pommel, blank of anything, looked like an undistinguished, metallic shape, but he didn¡¯t care for that.


    As much as the sword didn¡¯t really interest him, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the blade. His eyes constantly glancing down at the sharp weapon, he mused it must have been the special material it was made out of.


    His hand moved forward to the hilt, slowly coming closer and closer. Yet, with a near distance, a sensation from beneath struck him, a jolt of some sort. Before the man knew it, his right hand was already in tight grasp of the weapon, his eyes opened wider than usual.


    The weight was basically the same as before, but something changed within him as he gripped the sword. Grabbing the longsword with both hands, Lutiel stood before the girls, holding it near the base of his torso and angling to the ceiling.


    Standing in a tranquil air together with the sword, the man¡¯s calm face seemed like that of an experienced warrior.


    ¡®It feels right,¡¯ he wondered while wishing for the hero¡¯s glyph to hide itself. With a swift maneuver, the sword cut along the side before arriving behind and above him, further which he didn¡¯t slow down, slashing beyond himself.


    Yet, to the surprise of the bearer, he promptly fell to his knees, the sword dropping out of his hands. A spreading, scorching warmth surfaced through his heart, paining him from within while the man clutched his chest.


    Gritting his teeth, the heart raced for a second breath while Camilla¡¯s feet moved. With a similar, yet different approach, Zyponia simply stared at the man with a steady gaze, quickly stretching out her hand before his breathing calmed along with the clenched face.


    Easing her approach, Camilla lowered her body, the chin almost hitting her knees. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked the man plainly while he glanced up at the pupil.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine now,¡± he replied, but the voice was nippily drowned out by his master.


    ¡°Ars¡¯e seor lite¡¯p zice afi zibe vil mana,¡± she said, her eyes directed at her student¡¯s snowy hairs.


    Camilla turned her head soundly, the hairs swishing against each other while she faced her teacher. ¡°Li junt vic?¡± Her mouth moved, intangible to the man sitting on the floor.


    With droopy shoulders, Lutiel¡¯s calm eyes observed as they spoke through the demonic tongue, saying things he could never understand properly. The lady¡¯s lips smacked against each other while the student¡¯s head was still turned against him, the slave unable to do anything other than stand up and wait as they finished.


    ¡°Kozs beie ges cyji?¡± Zyponia asked, her eyes discreetly following Lutiel¡¯s movement before once again settling onto Camilla.


    ¡°Arn li lare,¡± the demon with no horn murmured almost, yet her voice was clear in every direction of the room. ¡°Dho eana li ris¡¯yr glad¡¯yp, ila ars¡¯e seor li bei¡¯yr elie un dho vyrc.¡±


    ¡°Junt li rih,¡± his lady exclaimed, nodding her head slightly. ¡°Intima la e voi urpo. Ara inbie yast e rae, ila ara nayd yast kiz teug dho enea kozsiroche.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, tis vidi,¡± the student opened her mouth for a while, releasing a breath of realization. Yet, as she did, her eyebrows furrowed rapidly, glancing up at Zyponia for a second time. ¡°Inli arn lepe, tem? Dho seor cesaefr pima eana kiz bic zice.¡±


    The girl asked with intrigue written all over her face, however, the demon lord only shook her head before moving through the room, towards the doors. ¡°Tis tane plin v nazev.¡±


    Immediately, hearing her words, Camilla supported herself with hands on the knees and stood up from the place, quickly following her teacher. Though, right before the doors, the demonic duo stopped frozen.


    ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Zyponia suddenly asked, to which he flinched silently. ¡°Get dressed up and meet us in the backyard. Bring the paper and ink from my desk as well.

 26. Rending The Dead Oaths

    Before long, he already bowed his body at a slanted angle. ¡°Yes, my lady, please excuse me,¡± he replied swiftly while the teacher-student duo turned back for the doors.


    In a matter of a few moments, he heard the wood shut itself firmly inside the frame, the man left alone in the bedroom of the mansion¡¯s lord.


    His gaze swept across the place momentarily, however, it ended plainly at that. With no risky thought in mind, Lutiel began to put the clothes back on, the shirt hugging onto his sweaty torso before being covered by the vest and his dark jacket.


    Having dressed back, he promptly followed Zyponia¡¯s order, leaving her bedroom with the items she had desired. Under a hastened, but not rushing pace, Lutiel strolled through the floors, soon reaching the double doors leading to the rear of the manor, and at the very end of his sight, through all the bushes, he finally could see the two people standing side by side.


    Walking through the well-maintained hedges on each side of the garden¡¯s multiple paths, he soon set foot on the verdant ground, trimmed to the same level on every blade across his sight.


    However, he didn¡¯t care long for the earthy ground. His eyes kept on the two girls standing near the large tree with beautifully swaying, green leaves, Lutiel walked near them a few moments later, stopping after seeing the disciple being examined by her tutor.


    Camilla had her eyes closed completely, the long, white eyelashes kept at the base as she stood under the serene air. Watching her, Zyponia also stood immobile with an impassive face, trying to gather all she could from the girl.


    Not knowing where to look exactly, the human simply retained his sight around the girl, waiting for something to happen. And fortunately, he didn¡¯t test his patience. Almost as soon as he had come by, the girl¡¯s arms moved from their stationary state. Slowly, but steadily, they advanced at the same rate, going from her hips to stomach before uniting.


    Immediately, the air around the garden faltered, making the butler take an abrupt step back. Plummeting, the wind pierced through his face, the coldness increasing each breath he had taken.


    ¡°Junt li starki,¡± Zyponia said all of a sudden, to which the normal surroundings returned, especially the wind. Calming down together with the erratic hairs, the leaves stopped wailing their worries.


    At the same time, her words made Camilla open her eyes, a blue glow dimming out around them.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯i lei arn, token¡¯o?¡± With a slightly proud, yet expectant smile, she asked the demon lord softly.


    ¡°Ges la teug¡¯yr nuent, ila arn lei nayd zibe lav,¡± Zyponia replied with a concise, clear statement, but the girl didn¡¯t get disheartened. Instead, she smiled even brighter, especially after hearing the following words. ¡°Osta gan¡¯yr.¡±


    Staring at her thrilled expression, Lutiel wasn¡¯t able to notice when the items in his grasp began to float away in the space, quickly arriving into the lady¡¯s possession and stealing his attention.


    His head turned towards Zyponia, their eyes meeting before she opened her mouth discreetly. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, a smile also resting on the soft features of her face.


    Quickly turning back to her disciple with a collected expression, she left the man to his thoughts, two images lingering internally.


    Though, as Camilla once again closed her eyes, he woke up from the internal clutter, watching magic being played out anew.


    ¡­


    Through every direction, darkness encroached in around him, threatening to devour his body, but it never could. Illuminated from the beyond, the full circle of light blue hung in the high, dark sky, releasing its lunar rays onto the man standing in the very center of his room.


    His eyes were closed while he remained still, in the diverging muddle of sweat. Droplets of identical fluid trickled down the steamy skin as he kept his arms near the hips, hanging loosely in the calm of mind.


    The nightly pants he wore, as usual, didn¡¯t retain more than a few drops before draining down the floor, but that only made him sweat even more. Still, his head was occupied on another matter.


    Already warmed up, with a fair share of practicing his kicks, the glyph around the hand glowed dimmer with each passing moment, though he didn¡¯t worry about it too much, letting it die out eventually. Eyes still closed, he didn¡¯t move a single muscle in the current state.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Lutiel simply stood in the room, as though completely engrossed in whatever played out in his head.


    Suddenly, his arms twitched, a light swiftly flowing from the cusp of his right hand¡¯s skin. The room became momentarily enlighted, describing his solemn face with crisp, purple eyes and white hairs. Quickly growing dull, the light only remained sprawled through his mark, just one streak lit up.


    Grabbing hold of the air in front of him with both of his hands, he quickly reminded himself of the earlier jolt he experienced. Everything it had combined, along with the sharp, radiating pain that spread through immediately after he swung.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± a muttered groan escaped his lips, before he could even pretend to slash with an imaginary sword. With a persistent approach however, he moved regardless, repeating actions of the close past.


    He moved his arms upwards, guiding them as if the blade was there, however, getting at the very top, his right hand pulsed visibly, convulsing and shaking to the point of breaking his rhythm. Immediately, his form had broken apart while the arms fell back down to their previous spot.


    Shaking, he rubbed himself against the chest. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Asking with a gradually creasing forehead, his eyes eventually led him to the hero¡¯s mark.


    Glancing at the once again fueled glyph, it seemed even brighter than before, staying for longer before dissipating. Still, being the only clue he had for the scorching pain he received each time, he stared at it for a while before once again moving to grasp the air.


    However, for yet another time, before he could fully execute the motion, the wall of torment hit and dragged him back down to the previous position.


    He moved his feet under the grimacing clamor of his teeth, the jaw clenching further while the right hand shook uncontrollably. ¡°Arrrggghhhh,¡± his raised voice spread along the drenched panels, hitting them as he fell to the floor and splashed against the sweat.


    Quickly grasping onto the right forearm with his other arm, Lutiel sprawled out along the floor, wriggling about incandescently. Unable to close his eyes, the slave started grumbling through gritted teeth.


    Lying there, he could do nothing but wait, the pain receding along with the light coming off the hero¡¯s glyph. His breathing, ragged, also calmed itself before he finally stood up from the floor, his eyes constantly on the stream of agony.


    ¡®You¡¯re not telling me what¡¯s right or wrong, but pain me instead?¡¯ He mused with irk after glancing up at the gleams of moonlight pouring it. Before coming to a clear conclusion however, he needed to make sure.


    Taking the same stance as a few hours prior, immediately, the hand started to sting while his heart heated up. Stopping at the same time, Lutiel¡¯s vision lowered itself, looking at the grueling glyph.


    ¡®It must be a form of punishment for getting it wrong. But why didn¡¯t it hurt when I failed the kicks, then?¡¯ He pondered, closely taking in the one line of glowing blue light. ¡®Was it because more streaks were powered?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t help but categorize the thoughts as correct. When there were only two of them enlightened, it didn¡¯t hurt at all, he even received ideas in his head on how to better himself. Simultaneously, it seemed that the more light his glyph released, the worse he did.


    Unlike two or three of them, just one stroke made his whole room light up in a jarring manner, almost to the point of momentarily blinding him.


    Sighing with a deep breath as he stood there with crude thoughts plaguing his mind, the man just couldn¡¯t come through to a limpid solution. Clouded all the way, his vision turned hazy, making the glyph take on a blurry look.


    ¡®I can¡¯t ask Zyponia for a book with proper instructions, can I?¡¯ He mused, the matter gnawing away at his insides. Staring out absentmindedly, Lutiel¡¯s mind hesitated. Yet, just as he was about to give up, his eyes flinched before quickly returning to reality.


    Barely a breath had passed and his face soured, the eyes sinking slightly in guilt. Looking down at the floor, he promptly recalled what was stored in his depths.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Raphael, but I have to,¡¯ the man said to himself inwardly, before standing still for a few seconds. With closed eyes, Lutiel started moving differently, under the guide he had reminisced about through the memories.


    The right foot stepped forward while the left stood back, both firmly set on the floor. His back erect in a perfectly straight line, the arms finally started moving, his forearms tensing considerably while gripping the imaginary sword.


    Nonetheless, he still couldn''t get it right from the get go. Imagining how the hero of the sword had done in the past hadn¡¯t made him grasp the sword¡¯s identity, but clenching his stomach, Lutiel endured the pain.


    Considerably lower compared to the previous iterations, his right hand receded with the shaking. With a swift, yet dainty wave of flesh, he performed the slash, only to stop midway through. His face contorted while twisting sorely, Lutiel¡¯s arms dropped down.


    Once again, beneath his staggered breath, he stopped any actions. Undisturbed by the glowing hand, he recalled what lay in the past before moving his feet. Yet, as the movement was anything but painless, the man halted himself, starting from the beginning.


    His feet scraped along the wooden panels, which no longer puddled his sweat. Countless times had passed while the glyph radiated vehemently, the skies changing briskly under his repeated attempts.


    However, when his body seemed no longer capable of cooling on its own, the light coming from the hero¡¯s mark had allayed substantially. Although only in placing his feet correctly, Lutiel had succeeded. Beaten up from inside, they wobbled as he took steps towards the bed, dropping down onto it without a care in the world.


    ¡­

 27. Peculiar Old Man

    ¡°Ninety bronze dracara,¡± a brutish tongue cut tersely through the ruckus making up the street. Similar to those around him, the man stood behind his table, one filled with vivid vegetables and fruit while a flock of demons came to buy. Well, rather, intended to buy before going away.


    Usually, just like all the vendors he was with, he would be shouting to gather round customers, however, a vicious fruit fell from the heavens right to his shop. One he had heard about and wished he wouldn¡¯t come over any time soon. A few heads taller and a full body wider, the brown-skinned demon crossed his arms after delivering the price towards the frail-looking, collared human carrying a basket containing packaged meat as well as vegetables from his stand.


    Inflating his chest high up, he released a deep sigh after seeing him rummage through his pockets, being the only person near his stall. With a quick glance to each side and beyond the slave, looking at the plethora of demons buying from other demonic merchants, he could only burrow the frustrations deep inside him and accept the fates.


    ¡°Ber, huh,¡± he muttered under his nose while seeing the single, small coin Lutiel brought out from the jacket. Handing it over, the smooth palm around his furred fingers caught it before bringing the coin closer to shine inside the seller¡¯s eye.


    Looking down beneath his stand¡¯s table, he appeared to glance at something, or at least pretend to, as Lutiel saw it. ¡°I don¡¯t have any change to give you,¡± he said with a blank face while the human stared at him with a straight one.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked while the merchant¡¯s shamelessness perked up.


    ¡°What? Are you deaf? I don¡¯t have any change. Maybe I would if you hadn¡¯t come, but as you can see, there¡¯s a shortage of customers today,¡± biting back immediately at the slight remark, he glared at the human like a ferocious animal.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lutiel accepted the man¡¯s retaliation, immediately making him raise his voice as his hand neared the red onions.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked with a terribly agitated tone.


    ¡°Getting a few more onions.¡±


    ¡°Listen here, you little trash. That won¡¯t work for me. You already paid for the previous ingredients, so don¡¯t try to add up the price unless you want to pay again,¡± he said, quickly grasping onto the human¡¯s arm while leaning over the vegetables.


    Letting his hand off, Lutiel stared at the steam coming off of the man¡¯s mouth while he spoke. Standing there for a few moments, he simply let go of the matter before moving away.


    Not daring to glance back, his vision became a field of bodies. Standing on both sides, as well as walking in the middle, demons conferred with each other next to stalls, some merchants loudly exclaiming to lure in potential vendees.


    However, having filled his basket full, he did nothing but look ahead of himself, his eyes focused on the black carriage drawn by two stallions, one white and the other brown respectively.


    Unruffled against the gazes he received, Lutiel kept his ears shut from any words they muttered, hurled in a language he didn¡¯t understand anyway. Though, much to his surprise, not nearly as many of them were courageous enough to speak to him anymore.


    Having cleared off a large portion of the distance from the carriage, more than halfway, practically no stands appeared around him anymore, only demons that walked along the pavement just like him. Yet, he stopped in the middle of his steps, gradually coming to a halt.


    ¡°Young man,¡± a voice spoke to him, from a point he couldn¡¯t deduct.


    ¡®?¡¯ He doubted himself inwardly, quickly turning back to check around him. Some demon barely evaded bumping into him from the sudden stop, an irked expression appearing on her face. Still, she left before he could even excuse her, shaking her head and clicking the tongue.


    Regardless of the demonic lady, he stared at the dirty walkway, gray stones pruning away their fresh look with black dust entwined between the gaps.


    ¡°Young man, over here,¡± the same voice repeated itself, this time Lutiel looking directly at the source. Furrowing his brows, he stared at the black cocoon of cloth spiraling against somebody, the face beneath shadowed by the hood.


    ¡®Did I see him there before?¡¯ A thought permeated throughout his mind, but he couldn¡¯t answer it truly, having been focused on the carriage in the distance.


    Walking closer to the curled up man sitting next to a building¡¯s facade, Lutiel stopped only a step or so away from him, promptly seeing the grinning face of an old man through the shadowy veil.


    ¡°Care to spare some fruit for an old man? He asked faintly, yet the hoarse voice resounded clearly around his ears.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Staring at the boy for a while, his complexion remained still before crumbling completely. From the grin, it transformed into a considerate ponder, ending with a raised eyebrow on either side.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°So you ask, yet the one unable to utter the truth is yourself,¡± he said slowly, revealing a pale, withered hand from beneath the cloak, pointing at the human with his sinking, wrinkly nail. Immediately, as Lutiel glanced down at his chest, where the man pointed his finger, he squinted his eyes tightly.


    But, while the question tumbled inside his head, the man led him astray suddenly, a stroke of laughter bellowing in the streets and catching the attention of passerby demons, only to quicken their leave. ¡°I¡¯m joking, I¡¯m joking.¡± He added quickly, still giggling at the gullible slave.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an old man on the verge of his days, nothing more, nothing less. You don¡¯t have to care about me, but if you have it in you, how about you give me some of that overpriced fruit?¡± He asked, his lime eyes staring deeply at Lutiel, who kept glancing to and fro at his basket and the old man.


    ¡°Ahh, I know a pure soul when I see one,¡± the man uttered, glancing at the pale hand reaching towards one of the large apples beaming with bright yellow shades. At the same time as it fell towards the crinkly hands, the oldie instantly moved his hands inside the dark fabric, the fruit disappearing from the wafts of wind.


    ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡± He exclaimed frantically, indignant at the man beginning to return for the carriage.


    ¡°What?¡± Perplexed, Lutiel voiced out as his body didn¡¯t listen, looking back with a forced manner. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you empty-handed, can I?¡± The man from the ground stood up, yet the height only differed vaguely. Clearer than ever, Lutiel stared at his grayish-pale face, wrinkled in every aspect. ¡°Hold onto this.¡±


    Catching his right arm with both of his, the old man quickly moved his hand towards the palm of the human, tightening it hardly after hiding something inside.


    Lutiel¡¯s widened eyes swiftly traveled down at his hand, having been released from the man¡¯s grasp. Opening the palm, he briskly saw what lay there. An object clear of anything, to be precise. A handful of air dissipated into the unknown, mixing in with the winds while the man stared back at the twisted cloth.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothi-,¡± he tried to say, but the figure had already disappeared from the place, leaving behind no vestige, as though he simply dreamed of the encounter.


    Looking all around, all he could find were demons staring at him with an eerie attitude. At the same time, staring at the basket, the apples returned to their original number before he gave one away.


    ¡®Wha? Huh?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t think of it, at least properly. Leaving a quarrel inside his head, he tried hard to envision the old man¡¯s face, only for it to disappear the moment he remembered.


    However long it took him, no attempt came fruitful. ¡®I should just get back already. I still have to get the coal,¡¯ He mused, finally turning towards the carriage he could barely see through the ongoing heads around the pavement.


    Though, as he walked along the path where the vehicle stood, Lutiel¡¯s mind constantly played ploys with him. The encounter was simply too weird for him to immediately forget it. ¡®Is he another one of those robbers?¡¯


    Quickly, he checked for his jacket, trying to find the seemingly unimportant coin they all reached for. And, taking his right hand out, there it was in its entirety as the man remembered. ¡®But, what if he did something to me with some magic? I have to be more vigilant from now on.¡¯


    Tossing it back to the pocket, he was already finished walking, opening the doors while the horses sang at his approach, alerting the coachman. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± he said, only receiving a meek nod of the head as Rovier raised himself up from the little nap.


    Before he even knew it, the surroundings began to change as they went into the main road. As per usual, he saw familiar sights, on different streets. Dragging the clanging chains through the shoulders and backs, slaves pulled on their masters through the muddied roads.


    Moving bricks, beams, and boulders, tens of slaves were at work, either constructing or delivering more materials for construction, a rare few moving through the alleys with sacked ingredients.


    Staring at the scenes with a straight face, he kept to himself for a few moments, letting the scenery pass by without glaring at it so much.


    Travelling down the different streets and avenues, because they focused on the outskirts of the city, it was more of the same, only varying in frequency and the looks of the buildings, some more derelict than others.


    After a long while, going through more and more crude parts, they had finally gone out of the gates, nearing the shore Lutiel had previously seen from the top of the higher parts of the city. He stared at the lack of demons moving about, only for a vaguely familiar noise to drill in his ears. The clanging of metal against a hard material resounded in the place, covered solely by the loose, gray skies.


    The carriage halted completely, with nothing moving in the nearest background beyond the windows inside. Neighs filled up the space after their gradual descent, quickly calming down under a certain man¡¯s hand.


    Promptly leaving everything inside on the seats, the man opened the doors with nothing in his arms. His hairs swaying on first contact, the wind grazed past his stature, but the clothes he wore made nearly all bearable.


    Walking off the mud road that gave no more ways to travel, near the cobble wall of foundations extending to the height where the carriage stood, he walked down the damp grass of the coast. In the purple eyes, ignoring the city¡¯s base that went all the way towards the sea and beyond, a large expanse reflected itself.


    Although incomparable to the city¡¯s port made from stone, glancing at the concoction of wood and lighter boulders, it was a sizable object nonetheless. In the far front, he could see a flock of smaller ships resting by on the calm waters. However, not all were doing so. Even further out, a ship larger than others floated on the waters, though not too far away from the docks.


    Bit by bit, his legs moved through the dirt, eventually arriving near the coarse sands of the shore. At the same time, it was the place he needed to get to from the beginning.


    Sparsely situated all around, large, black boulders with a bluish tint to them buried themselves inside the bleak sand intertwined with black fragments all around the shore, ones similar to the mountainous pile next the coastline on the left.


    Lay flat on the ground, they were nearly as long as half of a small ship, but what Lutiel caught most out of the sight was by far those that chipped away at them.


    Wielding rough, worn-out pickaxes, five human slaves stood around one side of the boulder, all connected by individual chains going towards a high, wooden pole behind them. Wearing clothes familiar to him, as he recalled his fight against his namesake, Lutiel watched as they shivered in the wind.

 28. Dissecting The Demons

    Their enfeebled bodies couldn¡¯t really hold up the pickaxe anymore, arms shaking as they drew it high up before smashing at the rock, only for mediocre pieces to come out in response.


    However, no matter if their bodies broke in the process, they kept on plowing through their own flesh, getting rid of the huge block of black rock in front of them, in minute bits at a time.


    Regardless, there were bound to be mishaps in their disposition. One of them started to fall, free of strength and with barely no break in between, he started screaming.


    ¡°ARGHHHH!¡± One of the slaves wriggled along the tainted sand, grasping onto his back, where the hemp shirt was ripped to shreds.


    ¡°Ges! Teug vte kiz vyrc!¡± Standing behind them, near the boulder, the demon possessed a long, bendy strip of leather in his hands, promptly shouting at the human with a stern look.


    Although he tried to heed his words, wobbling about, his arms gave up in the middle of the action, falling face first onto the rough sand before some of it got into his mouth, screaming yet again.


    ¡°What the hell are you looking at?!¡± The demon shouted all of a sudden, turning to his left and facing the white-haired human a few steps away from him. Glaring at him with his square face, the demon quickly eased his ferocious eyebrows after seeing the coin in his possession.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to buy coal for Lady Zyponia. Where is your boss?¡± Lutiel asked, making the man shake immediately, stuttering for a reason he couldn¡¯t explain.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s not here today. Please excuse the lady on our behalf. W-we were the ones responsible for providing that batch,¡± he said quickly, lowering his head to a point where the human couldn¡¯t see his eyes.


    ¡°Alright, I will go look in the docks,¡± he said, only for the demon¡¯s head to shoot back up, shaking his head vigorously.


    ¡°I told you he¡¯s not here already. You¡¯re only wasting your time,¡± adding quickly, the demon threw away his whip onto the sand, conveying his rash thoughts with arms.


    Looking to his side, in the middle of turning around, Lutiel stopped before opening his mouth. ¡°I know he¡¯s here. Lord Zyponia has already informed me,¡± he said with blank eyes, only for the demon to clutch himself by the head, pulling onto the loose hairs.


    Before he could say anything, the human had already shown him his straight back, heading to where the ships lay casually.


    Left behind in the sand, the demon didn¡¯t take the whip back for a while, his eyes focused on the white-haired slave of the demon lord. However, as the sounds around him eventually eased up, he decisively turned back to the humans, returning with a rapacious gaze harsher than ever.


    Meanwhile, when the slaves tried to gain back their previous potency, Lutiel watched the small, wooden hut furthermost left along the platform catering most of the shore. Walking amongst tens of boulders similar to the first one, he attracted a lot of attention, especially from the demonic bunch.


    And, as he walked through, as if to antagonize him, he saw and heard the slaves¡¯ agonal wails and bellowing. With the sound breaking apart at the tip of their weapons, so did the flesh around the slaves¡¯ backs, only adding to the plethora of scares entwined within their bodies. Tainting their skin crimson, sand got all over the wounds as they writhed against the ground.


    Quickly, the man clenched his jaw before angling his head straight ahead of him, gazing at the skies that could break loose any given moment. Unfortunately, even with the glyph, he wasn¡¯t able to do anything here, not with the herd of a hundred and more demons loitering about.


    Refraining from any hasty thoughts of his body, Lutiel kept on walking towards the platform where the docks and ships were connected. Tens of breaths had flowed through and back as he finally stepped onto the short stairs, gradually ascending towards the flat platform.


    Yet, just as he was about to advance towards the hut of the coal merchant, his steps lessened their nippy cadence. In the open gaps between the ships, he watched, stopping suddenly for whatever reason. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ He asked himself, but the answer never came. Instead, an image of a large ship moving at a snail¡¯s pace reverberated inside his eyes.


    Nonetheless, he simply rolled his gaze to the side, once again focused on the task at hand.


    Out of nowhere, the man¡¯s body moved to the side, holding onto the platform¡¯s railings while covering his ears with one arm, once again already turned towards the steady sea. Before he even knew it, his confused sight turned into terror when a cloud of white waves raised itself, towering over the ship¡¯s height in a facile manner.


    At the same time, undulations spread through the surface of the water rapidly, pushing towards the shore in a threatening manner. Tightening his grasp around the ears turned futile, the sounds ringing dastardly through his head.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Attacking the sands and the beams holding up the platform, higher than usual waves flowed and went away in concise succession.


    Staring at the cloud of water slowly descending, Lutiel¡¯s obtuse eyes shook clouded, his mouth agape as there was not really any idea in his head. ¡®What sort of scale was that explosion?¡¯ He wondered, glancing back and forth at the slaves travailing through the coals and the ship wobbling along the waters, his eyes couldn¡¯t believe their lack of concern about the matter.


    Even though the ship was almost destroyed by the sudden attack, they continued doing their task, as if nothing ever happened.


    ¡®Did the revolutionaries attack the coal port?¡¯ An immediate thought flashed inside his mind, but straining his eyes to take a better look at the demons, the composed looks on their faces gave him a different insight.


    Right as his head tinkered with reality, Lutiel turned towards the ever reaching ocean yet again. Although in the far distance it looked feeble, compared to the ship itself, he witnessed a sizable chunk of black rock wriggling outside of the waters before silently making its way onto the ship, flying through the air.


    One by one, each chunk needed a hefty portion of time to be deployed around the ship, but regardless, he could immediately tell all of this was planned by the demons that must have been onboard, along with the man stationed in his hut.


    As much as he wanted to stay there and see the magic be used for such feats, he shook his head slightly before motioning towards the hut. Within a few steps, he already appeared next to the worn door, opening them without a care for knocking.


    Immediately, a new sight unraveled before him. Standing next to the window beyond the desk, the man¡¯s rotund back faced Lutiel, undisturbed by the squeaky open.


    Sweeping across the office with his vision quickly, other than the table filled with papers, there wasn¡¯t much to the room except for a small dresser on the right and the desk. And, right as he ended looking throughout, the man¡¯s voice spread around the area.


    ¡°So you were Zyponia¡¯s slave? You could have told me. The healing cost quite a bit,¡± he said through a thickened voice, the sound of his cigar burning away at the tip intensifying while the man inhaled harshly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything for me to reveal it,¡± the slave spoke calmly, making the other party release a pall of gray smoke from his mouth, eventually turning around before glaring at him with his deeply red eyes.


    A hint of irritation spread amidst the black scales dotted around his face before he once again opened his lips, talking with the cigar still inside it.


    ¡°You took advantage of my hospitality,¡± he spoke, furrowing his eyebrows at the indifferent looks he received. ¡°I welcomed you, yet you send that bitch after me? My right arm couldn¡¯t function for a few days after.¡±


    However, Lutiel had no reaction to his shallow words. ¡°You were the one to sell me the coal powder,-¡±


    ¡°It was just fine, you picky bastards! Ah,¡± the merchant interrupted, quickly becoming aware of his own words at the end. ¡°Eh-ehem! What I meant is the coal was perfectly usable. Besides, I had no idea what was inside. If the lord wanted to complain, she should have sent Raeyine after the coal men.¡±


    ¡°It should have lasted for a month, but it¡¯s depleted after a week,¡± Lutiel spoke with a cool face, stating whatever he had heard from the maid. ¡°Also, there were chunks of sand mixed in at the bottom of the crates.¡±


    Finally, the man¡¯s face caved in with rage, glaring hatefully at the human head shorter than him. ¡°Fine! I used you for money! Is that what you wanted to hear?¡±


    Shaking his head, he further fueled the fury of the demon, but he showed it only around his head and arms, clenching the fists.


    ¡°My lady wants the best quality of crates for their usual price, unlike last week,¡± Lutiel stated, making the man puff out the smoke in anger yet again. Quickly, he stepped towards the human.


    ¡°Two silvers per box, follow me,¡± moaning below his nose, the squeaky wood had been flung open again.


    ¡­


    Through the sparse skies, the sun took in hefty peeks, rummaging through his room whole and permeating about. Two figures remained in the place, one maid with black hair and a butler.


    Sat on the bed calmly, he stared at the very one in front of him, standing next to the wall between the door and the window. With her usual attire and hairstyle, Raeyine stared at him diligently, pointing towards the pale wall behind her with a random stick in her hand.


    Scraping against the plaster, she unveiled the bricks lay within the walls while drawing shapes into it. Quickly, a plain face with meek details showed itself, but she didn¡¯t focus on that. Heading up on top of the head¡¯s outline, she stopped the stick¡¯s motion.


    ¡°What have you noticed about demons?¡± She asked suddenly, quickly locking her eyes with him. Yet, as his mouth flinched, her voice drowned the man¡¯s ears. ¡°I don¡¯t mean their attitude towards slaves like you. Something specific to them.¡±


    Shutting the lips tight at the words, Lutiel¡¯s eyes lingered down for a second before springing right back up at her. ¡°You have horns,¡± he spoke in a collected tone, immediately receiving a brisk nod.


    ¡°Yes, and what have you learned about them so far?¡± She asked once again, a ponder of silence permeating through the room thereafter.


    ¡°There are many demons with one horn, but most of you are without one. And, I have only seen two of them on Lady Zyponia¡¯s head,¡± he said before her spry nods embraced his sight.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she hummed in confirmation, swiftly moving her lissome wrist and digging through the pale gypsum. Right atop the simple head, a single, curved horn settled itself. ¡°As you may have noticed, that sort of thing comes with another idea. A status of sorts, I could add.¡±


    ¡°Just as those with a single horn are treated with a greater regard than the hornless, the same goes for demons with two horns,¡± she continued, letting the man indulge in her words. Still, before she could add, he tinkered with her speech.


    ¡°Like Magon,¡± he uttered, slightly distracting her line of thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. As a matter of fact, all of the demon lords have a pair of horns. But like I was saying, the ones with two horns are incomparably more regarded and respected compared to both single and non-horned demons.¡±

 29. Lady Zyponia 1

    Ending her words, he fell silent, with slightly lowered eyesight. Wondering about the matter however, he asked swiftly.


    ¡°Are they demon lords because they all have two horns?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, no, not really,¡± she blurted out titteringly while shaking her head and building on. ¡°They still have to possess other qualities, but I won¡¯t bore you with that. I just wanted you to understand what the ball may hold.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Most of the guests will have a horn on their heads, so it¡¯s important for you to know how to interact with them, even if they already know you¡¯re handicapped.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lutiel spoke with a calm tone, however, his eyes didn¡¯t hover around hers. ¡°Can I somehow offend them if I use my body inappropriately?¡±


    At his words, Raeyine smiled, confirming a breath later. ¡°Just like humans, demons have their way about awaiting respect when their status is higher. You have gotten good at hiding your disgruntled expression already, so never forget yourself. If a hornless, not to mention crippled, slave were to offend some high-standing guest, I believe even your connection to the lady might not do you so well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all, yes?¡± The man asked, nodding his head vaguely after seeing her shake away at the question. However, the more her tongue rolled, the further his eyebrows creased.


    ¡°It¡¯s very complicated, you see. Even just standing next to some demons can leave them agitated, and on the other hand, some can get annoyed if you don¡¯t follow their gestures. But, the worst thing you can do is speak for whatever reason.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Raeyine sighed faintly while crossing her arms. ¡°Because they will be able to tell you apart from the demon kind.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± He asked, curiosity along with puzzlement entwined within his eyes, despite already answering inside his head. ¡®Magic.¡¯


    ¡°Magic,¡± their voices overlapped, even if he spoke inwardly. ¡°It¡¯s just something very apparent in those who aren¡¯t able to use it. If you are found out to be human, it will deeply affect your life for the worse, as well as all of the servants living here, even Lady Zyponia.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but can¡¯t Lady just force me to shut my mouth through the brand?¡±


    Suddenly, something lit up inside Raeyine¡¯s eyes as she pointed at him with the stick. ¡°I forgot about that option, but she probably already had that in her mind.¡±


    While the head maid looked at him somewhat impressed, he instead glanced at the face of a demon ingrained in the wall. Of course, noticing the gaze, she also looked behind.


    ¡°What else are you thinking of? I will try to do my best and answer,¡± she said with a meek beam around her mouth.


    ¡°What if I end up offending a demon anyway?¡± With a solemn face, he asked, only for a murky silence to settle across the room, the face of the maid waning away into blankness.


    ¡°You will have to be prepared to die,¡± she said with cold eyes staring deeply into him. Not breaking their locked gaze, she added on. ¡°You will be fighting against one of their slaves to death, with a weapon of your choosing.¡±


    ¡°And If I win?¡± Although he asked, his face soured slightly, the maid unable not to catch it.


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t worry. If you kill the slave, you can go back to your own master and the demon can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    With steady eyes, he listened to the girl, only one thought permeating in his head.


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t the demons just talk it out?¡±


    ¡°It stems from an old tradition. You can¡¯t just kill off someone¡¯s possession, so you request for the battle of the slaves instead with a good reason, and it is shamed upon not to accept it. But, don¡¯t think about it too hard. You won¡¯t get targeted by some boor that wants drama in such a place.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we talked about the guests enough for today. Let¡¯s move on to something else instead,¡± she quickly added, soon turning towards the wall behind.


    Nodding his head lightly, silence once again began soothing his ears, only interrupted by the pieces of the wall falling off to the floor. Looking at something new being engraved in the wall, the man focused on it intently.


    ¡­


    Standing close to the finely carved window frames, Lutiel looked beyond the clear pane, only to witness himself under the befallen sun. Glancing at the same, still image for a few breathless moments, he saw no other soul than the white-haired himself roaming about the bedroom.


    Once again, she had invited him over, for reasons he had yet to hear. Nonetheless, sooner rather than later, Lutiel turned around when the doors of the room started to give way. With a steady, dainty gait, Zyponia¡¯s dress flowed to fit her movement.


    Matching in with her rightful shades, the gown didn¡¯t extend far beyond the outline of her legs. Glancing ahead at the already stood man, her pink eyes stiffened up, the body following once she reached the room¡¯s center.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the wait. I would have been here quicker if Raeyine hadn¡¯t distracted me,¡± she apologized, slightly shaking the man off. But, with a still face, he remained clear of showing any surprise. Clearing his head, Lutiel hid his arms behind his back, ready for her orders with an erect posture.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my lady. I didn¡¯t wait long,¡± he said lightly, lowering his head ever so vaguely before moving back immediately, some intangible strength compelling him.


    ¡°There is no need for you to bow down,¡± she said with a mellow crease on her mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing your work diligently ever since you got here. Compared to some of the girls, your workflow isn¡¯t fading, so stop doubting your position so much.¡±


    Flinching down and back to their place, his eyebrows wriggled at the words, his breath staggering for a faint piece of time. ¡°I will make sure to remember, my lady,¡± with an increasingly quieter tone, he voiced out.


    Staring with a secretive gaze at his reactions, her lips wanted to spread further, but Zyponia contained the giggle. ¡°Good, let¡¯s start our session, then,¡± she said, beginning to position herself around the middle of the carpet.


    ¡°What should I do, my lady?¡± Lutiel¡¯s voice surfaced along her ears, to which she had already stopped moving, nesting herself while sitting on the floor.


    ¡°Do you know how to write?¡± She asked all of a sudden, glancing up at him.


    ¡°I can, I think,¡± he replied half-assuredly, both because of his own doubts, as well as for his supposed memory loss.


    ¡°Try it. There is a pen and paper on my desk,¡± she said, already beginning to close her eyes while crossing her legs. Placing the hands on her thighs, the demon lord eased the breath, letting Lutiel go about without no supervision. However, after a few long breaths left her lungs, she opened her mouth anew. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± with a curt reply, the man started moving back to the lady, having written down three random, but moderately difficult words. ¡°What should I do, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Alright. All you have to do is watch me and write down whenever you notice me losing focus. I¡¯m supposed to stay still, so catch any movement and pour it onto the page.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but what about the time a move has happened, my lady?¡± He asked, to which she hesitated with a somewhat perplexed expression, only shaking the head faintly in the end.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± she said before the man nodded. ¡°Also, don¡¯t stand too close. Now, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    As her words befell upon his ears, the air around the room changed in a spry motion. His hairs moved all of a sudden, swaying along ever so slightly. At the same time, her own hairs started to lift up before going down in an undulating manner. Finally, they fell clearly, flowing down her face and stopping there for the reminder of the time.


    Needing a second breath for his staggered heart, he still kept up the duty, glancing closely at her full body and taking in all that happened around it.


    With a rhythmic respire, Zyponia didn¡¯t budge in the slightest, keeping her body in the same position, in an eerily perfect way. However, his left hand firmly holding the paper while his right held the pen, Lutiel seemed to have lost his ability to blink.


    He as well, not moving from the place, started to soon move his arm when a muscle around her right index finger twitched. The sound of ink being placed upon the paper lingered in the air, though that seemed to be the least of Zyponia¡¯s concerns.


    With a keen eye, he noticed a flinching crease along her brows, promptly writing it down as well. And, a few moments later, her special breathing broke apart slightly, Lutiel¡¯s hand moving without looking at the pale paper.


    ¡®This takes me back,¡¯ he mused suddenly, constantly keeping his eyes at the girl. Yet, he himself didn¡¯t heed the vaguest smile curving on his face. As mundane as the task seemed, remembering memories of the past made it even more enjoyable.


    Nonetheless, breaking the thoughts apart quickly, he focused back on the demon lord. However, no longer standing frozen in place, he began moving.


    Getting closer to the lady ever so slightly, he sat down near her in a similar position while gazing right at her. And, in doing so, her eyelids peeked out to see the commotion.


    Enlarging somewhat as she looked at his enthralled expression, Zyponia quickly closed them back after seeing his right hand moving through the page. She kept to herself as the wind began flowing even harsher than before.


    Her hairs once again moving up and falling down into place, staying there, she resumed her rapt image for the second time, all recorded by the purple eyes.


    Countless breaths flowed under the unchanging skies, all while Lutiel¡¯s assiduousness showed on the page as tens of scribbles appeared onto it, going further once turned around. Gradually, the demon lord¡¯s session started to come to an end.


    Already half-way through, beads of sweat trickled down her face, continuing in a repeated manner before spreading over to most of her body. Dampened by it, the blue dress glistened as it clung onto her back and torso, as well as at the base of her long, purple hairs.


    With a somewhat ragged breath, she let out a heavy sigh at the very end before breathing even faster, inhaling more air than ever.


    At that time, Lutiel finally stopped moving his pen. Standing up from the carpet, he promptly came over to his master, lending her his dominant arm. ¡°Here, my lady,¡± he said, making the lord quickly glance up from the absent stare directed at him.


    ¡°Thank you, ah!¡± She uttered a mild yelp from the sudden force Lutiel pulled her with. Raising her eyebrow, her legs wobbled slightly as she stood next to her butler, who swiftly supported the demon lord weakened by the long period of not doing anything.


    A few moments had passed as she stood while grabbing onto him before finally regaining proper strength. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, you can let go,¡± she said, walking off on her own as the slave stepped away.


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    She moved steadily towards her wardrobe, as wide as one wall of Lutiel¡¯s room. Quickly opening one of the four doors inside, Zyponia took what appeared to be a pink dress, however, with sleeves eased off compared to the one she wore.


    ¡®Skimpy,¡¯ he thought discreetly and momentarily, especially after taking a better glance at the almost limpid material of the nightgown. However, just as quickly as it appeared, it meddled into confusion and disorientation.


    ¡°Raeyine, chod nud kiz tis¡¯e piko,¡± she spoke into thin air, yet directed it towards the head maid. With furrowed brows, Lutiel heard her confer with seemingly nobody.


    ¡°Kozs bie ges mae?¡± She asked, but the answer didn¡¯t appear to suffice the demon. ¡°Kozs¡¯i digle tane arn taca?¡±


    ¡°Junt li elie, Tis li rihelie,¡± she said calmly before releasing a sudden sigh of exasperation, lowering her head down faintly. Yet, as though something came into her head, she briskly turned around towards the male servant standing there while clueless of the words spoken moments prior.

 30. Lady Zyponia 2

    Pondering while fixed onto his pale face and bewildered eyes, she remained deaf for a brief period before eventually opening her mouth. ¡°Come with me, Lutiel.¡±


    His perturbed eyes followed her movement swiftly, watching as Zyponia came closer to him. However, before she did anything to his body, she simply went past him, leaving the attire on the bed. Only then did she repeat herself.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Immediately, she turned away from him before her usual, calm steps resumed. Glancing at her sweaty back fleetingly, Lutiel saw her getting closer to the doors, standing near the middle of the room as if he was frozen.


    Before she could open them, however, she stopped, slowly returning his gaze. ¡°Are you going?¡± She asked with clear intent, and he replied duly.


    ¡°Yes, my lady, please excuse me,¡± he said, quickly taking steps under the chime of the doors being opened. Leaving only once he had cleared up some distance, Zyponia¡¯s leisurely walk played in the corridor of the top floor reserved only for the lady of the house.


    Passing by the few, but grand doors placed along the sparsely lit path, Lutiel saw as they had surpassed the room Zyponia usually used for research together with him. ¡®Where are we going?¡¯ He mused inwardly, not letting it out by any means.


    Yet, as they finally neared the very last door of the luxurious hallway stretching far and wide, he squinted his eyes. Although they were just as pleasant to look at and ostentatious as the other ones, the paleness of it reminded him of a certain one down at the ground floor.


    She quickly opened the door, making the sultry airs inside waft towards their faces immediately while a murky visioned place with soft and dim lights unveiled itself before the duo.


    ¡®Why did she want me here?¡¯ His thoughts meandered all around the place, circling about as the eyes couldn¡¯t really believe what had been in front.


    Still, looking at and repeating his master¡¯s actions, his bare feet placed themselves firmly along the glossy tiles, right after taking off his shoes and socks.


    In the very center, made from a gingerly metal that glistened every image out through its surface, stood a bath already filled to the top. Set firmly along the edges of the tub, a layer of foam lay meekly on the water¡¯s surface while meeting with the air.


    His thoughts unable to properly judge the scene, the eyes widened after hearing a rustle of clothing. Pointing her back to him, two steps away from the bath, the dress of Zyponia began to slip down her shoulders, revealing sights he could only deem as forbidden for a slave like him.


    Folding over against her bottom, bare skin promptly revealed itself. Gleaming under the light, its smooth gloss went all throughout. Her sleek arms calmly rested on the sides, but the man¡¯s eyes focused onto the middle of her back. The purple hair protected most of it, but he could still see the pronounced, yet not overly showing features.


    However, before his head could clear up, the dress fell all the way down to the bath¡¯s tiles. And, as he glared at her fully nude buttocks, they moved promptly. The demon lord stepped over the edge, quickly sitting down inside the bathtub. Spilling over against the edges jauntily, the steamy waters only settled down a bit afterwards.


    Falling down on the tiles and sprawling out, the warm fluid traveled quickly, however, before it could get to the dress, the fabric was lifted up in the air, by none other than the prior wearer. Hovering over to the closed doors where the water wasn¡¯t able to flow, the dress fell under the still bewildered look of Lutiel.


    The head of the demon lord turned to him before their gaze locked for a few silent moments.


    ¡°Wash me,¡± she blurted out blankly, with apparent indifference scattered across her face. Nonetheless, starstruck, the man didn¡¯t utter a single word, simply opening his mouth agape for a while.


    ¡®What?¡¯ The thought thundered across his mind, but the increasing glare coming off his lady started to almost pierce through him. So, clenching his approach, Lutiel spoke up.


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    As the sentence poured out from his mouth, Zyponia¡¯s head finally turned away. Once again focusing on her and not the situation he had been placed upon, he saw her body turned to the side, along the long side of the tub. Only revealing her collarbones and above, the rest was astutely hidden away by the bubbly, white foam.


    With a deep breath, he sighed after being practically next to the demon, but he didn¡¯t retreat in the slightest. Rather, he pulled the sleeves of his uniform up, revealing the smooth skin around his barely hairy forearms.


    On quick legs, he moved to the other side of the bath before pooling some of the liquid soap in his palms. Using his undisturbed hand, he twisted the left and right handle accordingly before a warm stream began falling from the faucet, directly into the bath.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Although some of the tub¡¯s insides began to spill over along the edges, it hadn¡¯t teemed like a few moments prior.


    With his hands gleaming as the soapy waters dripped away into the bath, he turned his head towards the lady, whose pink eyes had been long since closed, her shoulders drooping about relaxedly.


    ¡°My lady, where should I start?¡± He asked in a quieter tone than usual, even though nobody else could hear nor see them. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever washed somebody else.¡±


    Letting the words bounce around through the waters, despite immediately reaching her ears, Zyponia remained in her state for a few seconds, only remotely leveraging her eyelids. Though, as her eyes lingered around the reflection of the surface, she fully opened them, looking up at the man.


    ¡°Begin with the legs and move up,¡± in a concise and prompt manner, the lord soon closed her eyes again, letting the waters and the slave embrace her body.


    Looking at the droplet of sweat running down the bridge of her nose from the heat, dispersing off to the sea beneath, Lutiel quickly transferred his gaze down at the wall of foam. Stuck to her skin only above the chest, it shielded her from any greedy eyes below and beyond.


    No longer wasting any moments, his arms moved through the veils, a balmy sensation engulfing him. Although he had pulled up the sleeves seemingly enough, the tub was quite tall, wetting the fabrics crawling all the way up to his elbows.


    Swiftly, yet with a gentle touch, he looked through the waters with his hands. And almost immediately, both of his hands met the soft, but firm surface. Feeling the squishy part around his finger, he could tell he caught her right calf.


    Going down the path, towards her foot, Lutiel lifted the leg up meekly for a better control over the movements. Through a somewhat halted breath, he had already descended to the toes, the demon flinching vaguely as his fingers skimmed across the sole.


    Releasing a quickened breath, he quickly began to rub his hands across her skin, starting from the bottom of the right leg. All around, between every spot, he eventually reached the five toes, also putting in great effort to swab each crevice vigorously, though gently.


    Before long, he was already beginning to ascend her body, gradually going upwards. From the ankle, he swiftly loosened off most of the residual grime and sweat around the calf and below her knee, before any sort of soap could be applied.


    However, once he reached the thigh and above, he slowed his climb considerably. Similarly because of the part¡¯s higher circumference, as well as the place he was beginning to reach. With his breath somewhat staggering, he began to massage the spots around her groin, however, he stopped promptly, a mild grasp surrounding his wrist.


    ¡°Leave that place to me,¡± she said without opening her eyes in the slightest, grabbing onto his arm simultaneously. Having confirmed that he heard, Zyponia let go of the wrist, simply letting herself drown away into the warmth of the bath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady, I didn¡¯t mean anything,¡± he tried to wriggle himself out with an apologetic excuse, but she didn¡¯t react to the words very much, barely moving her head into a transient nod.


    Continuing on the matter, Lutiel once again started at the bottom, her left leg this time. From the sole to the calf and the thigh, quickly, but attentively all around, he arrived at the same spot, stopping just before her secluded place.


    ¡°My lady, could you lean forward a bit?¡± He asked neatly after going around the tub, to which the girl moved almost immediately, revealing her back to him anew.


    Starting from the buttocks, he couldn¡¯t rub them perfectly since she was sitting, but it didn¡¯t seem to matter. Briskly moving away from the firm, curved flesh, he rubbed his hands around her loins and the stomach, slowly getting up all the way to her glabrous armpits.


    One by one, he took great care in cleansing the arms, scrubbing each finger as well as between them. Finishing both on the left and right side, just as he was about to venture off to the shoulders and the neck, he stopped in place, freezing subtly as he saw the round, pink eyes glancing into his depths.


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked with a tone that heard neither harsh, nor warm. Meanwhile, his eyebrows creased at the statement.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t washed my breasts yet,¡± she said bluntly, calmly awaiting a response.


    ¡°...¡± He hesitated for a slight moment, however, his lips moved apart eventually. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, my lady. I don¡¯t want to anger you.¡±


    However, under the words¡¯ graceful descent, Zyponia¡¯s lips turned crooked on the sides before a titter left her mouth. Slightly, she lowered her head as her chest heaved up and down from the laughter. ¡°Is that what you were worried about? I guess some things you never forget.¡±


    ¡°You can touch them. They¡¯re just flesh and skin anyways, even you have them yourself,¡± she added while raising her head up. Closing her eyes with a mellow smirk lingering on her face, Zyponia¡¯s collarbones soon felt as the waters bounced off of her neckline, his arms waning the steady bath.


    On the side of the tub, Lutiel moved his hands below her boobs, each hand reserved for one. Unable to fully grasp the gentle skin, he didn¡¯t ponder about it for too long, quickly moving on around the chest, washing away the area in the middle before finally grazing his fingers towards the center.


    Firmer compared to the soft skin around, his palms barely touched the nipples before he stopped all of a sudden. Glancing up, however, he only saw Zyponia¡¯s steady and relaxed face. With his doubts eased, the man continued rubbing against the toughened skin, stopping once he felt them starting to tighten up.


    Without saying anything, after he cleaned off the neck, he moved onto the face, washing it with by far the most care.


    ¡°My lady, I need to wet your hair. Cou-¡± he said, but just as he was about to finish, her body suddenly started to move. Opening her eyes, Zyponia quickly stood on her legs in the tub, revealing her wholly in front of him.


    His sight wavering as the foam slid down across her naked body, he shut his mouth completely, disbelief written all over. Glancing at the sparkling, bare skin all around, Lutiel¡¯s eyes instinctively followed up, at the cusped, round nipples of a pinkish shade.


    ¡°Leave it for the end. You can use the soap now,¡± she said, burrowing into his ears like a flash of bright light. Swiftly, he moved over to the faucet, squirting the liquid soap onto the sponge before dampening and squishing it.

 31. Perfect Candidate

    Immediately, as the foam engulfed his right hand, he saw the lady move to the tiles and stand there turned towards him. Looking at her slave with a slight smirk, she already had her crotch and chest covered with the arms.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to strain your eyes away now,¡± she said with an increasing gleam, but the straight face around him didn¡¯t respond, focused on coming over and covering her body with the soap.


    Unlike before, he first started with the top of her. Standing behind, the foam came out as he tightened his hand,  spreading it out all over her back. Gently, but with a firm grip, he moved the sponge in circular motions, moving down towards her butt.


    However, as he did, Lutiel crouched down on the side, not intending to stare at the place directly in front of it. Gliding across her inner thigh all the way down, his right hand quickly covered all the space around her feet since the soles were kept hidden.


    Finishing the calf and shin just as swiftly, he also didn¡¯t meander when it came to the thigh. Changing the sides, he repeated the motions before moving to the front, where the lady observed him with keen eyes, as though she saw everything while he was behind her.


    Crouching once again near her legs, he finished scrubbing the empty spots he had gone over before. However, as his eyes lingered there, he couldn¡¯t help but steal a glance at the right hand covering the place she previously forbade him from going to.


    Even if the senses inside him rattled up increasingly, he couldn¡¯t help it. Though, once he saw the short, purple threads peeking through between her fingers, his eyes quickly moved away, focusing on finishing the areas at a faster pace.


    Roughly a breath or two after, he began standing up, only to take just a few moments and finish covering her torso and arms with the foamy soap.


    ¡°Only the hair is left, my lady,¡± he said with a calm face, increasing the amusement around the demon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Alright, remember to rub the soap in, okay?¡± She asked, going inside the tub without hearing out the answer.


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    Hearing as the water splashed around the edges under her descent, he also saw as all of the soap washed away immediately, her body glimmering through the dim lights to a greater extent.


    Grabbing onto the edges, she sat in the middle of the bath before leaning her head back, awaiting his touch. Not disappointing her, the man quickly supported the head with one hand before washing up the purple hairs with the other.


    Lowering it to the point of submerging all of the strands together, he made sure for nothing to escape down the nose.


    Letting go, she moved up on her own towards the edge of the bath where he could take the slick hairs outside. Recalling the actions of Raeyine when he was the one sitting in the water, he repeated her actions before coming over to the soap dispenser and taking a few squirts onto his palm.


    Halving and leaving it on top of her head, he rubbed the residual soap with his palms before applying it softly throughout her long strands, making sure to do it thoroughly.


    Brisk moments after, Lutiel finally moved to the top, sprawling out the soap along the surface evenly before starting to massage it into the skin. Only when the soap foamed up did he finally stop, ready to lower her head, however, the demon didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Keep going,¡± she muttered softly, under the calm silence.


    Obliging to her orders, Lutiel rubbed his fingers through her head the same way, stopping only once she had enough.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. You can go now,¡± she said, the hair continuously foamy. With her head still turned away from him, she continued. ¡°Thank you, you did good.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said while a face of indifference settled about him. Turning away, he didn¡¯t bother washing his hands, heading straight for the pale doors.


    ¡­


    Set throughout the space of her orderly desk, Zyponia grabbed the pale piece of paper from the surface. Walking through her bedroom with the windows showing nothing but curtains of darkness, her body had already put on the loosely hanging, pink gown.


    Although the fabric was basically see-through, she added underwear beneath. Slowly, the girl made her way towards the large bed with red curtains, matching the shades of the carpet.


    Falling down gently, no squeaks spread out from below, letting the demon¡¯s eyes skim through the paper in utter peace. However, as she actually saw it properly, her eyebrows rose slightly while moving up from her back.


    Sitting down on the duvet, her eyes went from one corner to another briskly, holding the page with both hands. All of a sudden, they widened. Crumbling the page around her grasp, it came closer to her face, as though she didn¡¯t believe the words.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    She quickly let go of the paper with one hand, using it to leverage herself off the bed. On hasty feet, Zyponia¡¯s hairs swayed in the space as her body fell to the chair. Putting the sheet on the desk deliberately, the demon could be seen contemplating on it profusely, with vision that didn¡¯t leave it no matter what.


    Yet, as she read through the tens of minute lines packed densely against each other, she quickly looked down at her limbs. From finger and forearms all the way to her legs, she inspected every bit of herself with a perplexed mien.


    Then, after a few tens of breaths had passed, she went back to the paper before her eyes widened once again. Turning the pale page on the other side, almost another half of it had been filled out, from notes depicting her back adjusting for comfort to ones that described her different rhythm of breathing.


    Dragging her thumb across the upper lip, it stopped while pulling slightly on the bottom one, her sight drifting somewhere away from the paper.


    Nonetheless, she immediately came back to herself right after someone began knocking on her doors. Three noises rang out in her ears before her head slowly pivoted to the left.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she said through her native tongue, with a face completely upside down from a second prior. Regaining her composed demeanor, Zyponia calmly awaited for the visitor, constantly drawn towards the doors.


    The left side loosened away, trailing inwardly while a figure in checkered shades came inside. However, as Zyponia glanced at the chained glasses along with a black bun around her head, she quickly turned back to the papers, taking a refreshed look at them.


    ¡°Did you want something?¡± She asked while lifting the notes up, making Raeyine sour awkwardly as the nippy timbre belled through her eardrums.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Stopping in place after just a step over the doorway, the maid''s question flew through the room, only to settle amid the sprawling silence.


    Turning her head reservedly, Zyponia finally looked into her eyes with her own, with a meager expression making up the face.


    ¡°What do you think? Because I don¡¯t know very clearly,¡± she said emotionlessly, only to read through the paper once again.


    ¡°Oh, come on, I told you I couldn¡¯t help you. It was just one time and it happened to be today.¡±


    ¡°What were you so busy with, then?¡± Through an unimpressed undertone, she made Raeyine¡¯s eagerness to explain die down. However, with solemnity, the lord¡¯s head maid opened her mouth.


    ¡°Actually, it was an urgent call. It was my time of the month, so I couldn¡¯t do anything,¡± she said with a rosy tint scattering throughout her cheeks, the eyes somewhat squinted.


    Immediately, with a long silence permeating through the two, Zyponia gradually turned back to her after putting away the notes. Standing up from the seat, she held her hands intimately with each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t notice earlier because I was so drained,¡± she said with furrowed eyebrows, following closely with another statement. ¡°I guess I was angry at first, but the bath eased me up somewhat.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I was wondering why you were wearing that, but you actually took it? Did you ask Thoda?¡±


    ¡°Thoda? Ah, no, Lutiel was by my side, so I took his assistance,¡± she said with a calm, almost reminiscent tongue, widening the eyes of the maid.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going to do anything with him? What did I come here for, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, stupid,¡± she jabbed faintly. ¡°He simply washed me. Nothing else happened. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± She giggled incredulously. ¡°Tell me, did he touch your bare body?¡±


    Zyponia didn¡¯t reply to the comment, nodding her head before hearing a meek sigh crawl out of Raeyine¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Are you seeing yourself? You let a human male touch you naked? Zyponia, are you really asking me to believe things otherwise?¡± She asked with a straight face, though a hint of hilarity hid itself away.


    ¡°Haa!¡± She sighed while bellowing. ¡°You really love to crawl up my skin, don¡¯t you? Like I said, it¡¯s not like that. He-¡± Before she could finish, the other party interjected.


    ¡°Hmm? Really? Because all I¡¯m seeing is a little horny princess dying to get her paws on a pretty boy.¡±


    Starting to slowly grind and clench her teeth as the sentence flowed out, Zyponia finally burst out, only fuelling the far spreading grin around the guest¡¯s face.


    ¡°Stop it! Just stop it! I wanted him to get subjected to more energy while I recovered, alright?! There¡¯s nothing more to it. No, actually, I think it¡¯s you that¡¯s starting to sound all hot and bothered,¡± she spat out while pointing at the girl with a furiously red face, slowly calming down the more her words fell out. ¡°Always calling him a pretty boy, aren¡¯t you the one that wants to get to him?¡±


    ¡°Eh-ehem,¡± coughing with a bluffing face, her voice quickly brimmed in the space. ¡°Fine, fine, let¡¯s stop the childishness already. I didn¡¯t mean to get you so fired up.¡±


    Looking at the ragged breathing of the girl with double horns, as her chest soothed down from the agitation, Raeyine asked anew. ¡°But why do you want him to get accustomed to it? I was specifically trying for him to not get into such situations.¡±


    With an upright back and arms freely next to her hips, Zyponia stared at the girl for a bit before exhaling a deep breath. ¡°I know,¡± she said, promptly crossing her arms. ¡°However, his body is weirder than other humans.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it, but the natural reserves inside his heart are higher, much higher in fact. And it keeps changing constantly.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t that bad? The subjects practically imploded after being exposed to it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it should be bad, but I don¡¯t think it is.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°When I was sensing the flow of energy through his body, the training ball sucked it right up, yet he was able to throw it somehow, even if I suppressed its strength. Not to mention, it almost felt as though he was able to practice through it just like we do,¡± she spoke with solemn eyes, the words that befell making Raeyine shut up, her sight wavering from shock.


    ¡°Then, he¡¯s a perfect candidate,¡± the black-haired maid muttered under her nose.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was only thinking of sending him to Vaissen, but I¡¯m sure of it. He has to meet her now.¡±

 32. Heinous Urges

    Just like each day, when the nightly veils fell upon him and his surroundings, Lutiel stood in the middle of the room, only the mellow light beyond the windows engulfing him. The mark around his hand didn¡¯t glow bright, however, and he made no effort for it to do so.


    Standing calmly, he steadied his breath while steeling his resolve. From the ground, his right leg quickly raised itself up towards the ceiling while keeping it as straight as a pine¡¯s trunk. With his soles facing opposite directions, he remained in the position for a few moments.


    Yet, after falling down while his skin coalesced the film of sweat into droplets, he repeated the same motion with the other leg, changing through them intermittently before his face began to drip down teemingly with sullied fluids.


    The man quickly delved to his arms upon the floor, only to once again raise his legs, but rest them there instead. Out of nowhere, his head banged into the wood below him as he fell deliberately, pushing with all the strength his arms possessed back up and resuming the same approach.


    However, after a few times of repeated hitting, above the small pool of sweat that came about from trickling down his nose, Lutiel slowed down with the push ups, taking slower, but deeper breaths into his chest.


    Not long after, he let go of one of his arms, while the hand of the other quickly sprawled out to catch balance.


    Slowly, yet steadily, he trailed down before pushing up, doing the same thing over and over. Only after his other arm experienced the same did he finally fall down to the ground, glistening under the small light coming from the windows.


    Reverberating uncontrollably, his chest begged for more air while he sprawled himself along the floor, lying on his back.


    ¡®It¡¯s still there, no matter what.¡¯ He pondered to himself under the hazy blurriness in front of him. Nonetheless, despite the countless thoughts surging through his mind, Lutiel gathered himself up from the ground.


    First of all, he stood in the middle with closed eyes, though he opened them back just as swiftly. Nevertheless, taking the stance he had trained for days prior, his hands were raised in the air, near his chest but protruding away from it.


    Immediately, as he moved through the air with his right foot, the image around his right hand glistened bright, three of the streaks lighting up, but not as intensely as the one he had with the sword.


    Kicking the air high up above him, his leg returned to the same position while he repeated the stance ever so slightly. Releasing a deep breath, the kick flowed through the space once again.


    Again, he went back to the floor, only to kick anew. Then, he repeated the motion, almost without a grain of thought behind the eyes. Mindlessly, he continued onto the task, unbeknownst of the increasingly brighter light coming from his right side.


    His eyes, despite looking in front of him, appeared distant, gazing far away where he shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡®Ugh!¡¯ His mind thundered as he caught himself once again, quickly staring at his hand, where the light had receded down to two streaks.


    Furrowing his brows, a loud clasp followed. With two red imprints appearing around his cheeks, he slapped the right one for a second time to add onto the pain. He was far too distracted to continue, but he needed to do it regardless.


    Changing the sides, he began kicking away, focusing only on the leg and all the muscles responsible for it to shatter his constraints. Only after one, he changed his stance, moving the right foot behind the left before slashing through the room with it.


    Keeping the actions on his mind, he eased somewhat with the intensity, having found calmness through the changing legs.


    However, the worst part came eventually once he stopped kicking. With an upright back, Lutiel started at the pale wall that should have had painting inscribed onto them. Yet, looking the same as yesterday, he simply focused on the arms he stretched out.


    Gripping the imaginary sword, he tried to keep easy, to focus on the empty space right in front of him. Quickly, his arms engaged the movement as he went behind with the sword, merely stopping in the middle of the swing.


    ¡®Dammit,¡¯ he mused as his hands fell to the thighs inertly, the man unable to construct a proper focus. Looking at the shaking of his glyph, he didn¡¯t dare finish the strike, aware that the worst pain yet was about to come by.


    ¡®Should I just stop for today? It¡¯s not doing me any good.¡¯ In the end, although hesitantly, Lutiel surrendered.


    ¡®This damn body! Why are you getting so excited over remembering a demon¡¯s chest?¡¯ Like a roaring thunder, the loathe he garnered for himself increased the more he pondered over it, so he quickly stopped. Taking a new set of night clothes from the wardrobe, his eyes shook as he looked at the corridor he found himself in, shirtless and on bare feet.


    Once again, he kept gazing at Zyponia¡¯s bare body through his mind, going out of the room before he even knew it. Gritting his teeth, the bridge of his nose creased, however, he quickly calmed down, simply heading towards the bath for servants.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    But, as he once again leapt through memories, staring at the bathtub starting to fill itself with faintly steaming water, Lutiel slowly walked towards the door. With a swift motion, locking them from inside, the pants around him had already gone down to the tiles near the porcelain bath.


    Meanwhile, his feet skimmed through the waters, releasing a soft breath after sitting down inside. The water slowly rising itself, he closed his eyes before leaning on the brisk edges.


    Futile. Feeling the steady approach of warm fluids, the images of naked Zyponia flickered through his head. Opening his eyes made no difference. Rapidly, he gazed down to search for his reflection, only to widen his eyes at a certain portion of his peeking out high beyond the surface, with the same shade as all of his skin.


    Brimming as his heart beat strongly, he grabbed it absentmindedly, closing his eyes after grasping the pulse around his palm. ¡°Aah,¡± he uttered faintly, only for himself to hear.


    ¡­


    Ever since the gruesome pleasure Lutield had experienced that night, the time seemed to accelerate ever forward. He still did everything as per usual, which was to go out to the town, stay with Zyponia during her sessions, learn with Raeyine, as well as assist Camilla''s lessons, however, the roadblock he encountered and overcame allowed all of them to pass with relative ease for the next days.


    Almost as though he had forgotten that his kind was at war with the demons, his mind was occupied by his daily chores. Nonetheless, he continued his training each night, with no breaks. Even after the dreadful, yet rejuvenating bath, he went back and trained properly as the thoughts didn¡¯t cloud him anymore.


    The time passed, and it was just a day before the ball, the one he had been forced to go to for reasons he was unaware of.


    ¡®Did she have to send me here once again?¡¯ The man mused while leaning against the carriage¡¯s interior wall. Supporting himself with his right palm, he rested the chin while looking outside the window, staring at the streets donning gaudy silhouettes.


    For the second time already, he found himself in the noble part of the city. Straining his eyes through the pane, Lutiel looked amidst the glares finding their way towards him. Instead, glancing at the buildings with carved stone exteriors, he disregarded the mundane demons and their usual reactions.


    Under the rhythm of the wheels wobbling about the paved road, the man¡¯s boredom finally ended soon enough, riding up another two streets to the right before stopping on the street.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Ravier spoke through the calm, as no steps could be heard by either of them.


    Stepping outside of the carriage, he finally saw the place they had arrived at. The air lingering free of the demon kind, he could see murky mountains far into the horizon, the remnants of the skies falling down to the place similarly.


    Unlike Luviene¡¯s shop, it appeared they were on the completely opposite end of the city, overseeing the sunless hills and leafless forests.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just the skies. The buildings itself made the street a drab mess. In a derelict state all throughout, Lutied wondered if they had truly left the space of the lower city. Rummaging through his left pocket, his gloved hand brought out a paper small enough to fit in its palm.


    His eyes quickly skimmed through the yellowish page before a sigh muttered out from the lips. Raising his head, he followed the directions promptly, walking towards the dilapidated shop at the edge of the right side.


    With no windows to showcase anything, the shop had nothing but a pair of old, wooden doors at its center, with metal knobs bent to fit a palm perfectly. Not wasting any more breaths, Lutiel opened the right side before entering, his eyes widening while doing so.


    Bereft of feverish expectations, the vision before him made lutiel¡¯s eyes waver. Unlike the size of the building, nearly two storeys tall, he saw no stairs inside. Not to mention, right after closing, he found himself in a room even smaller than his own.


    More importantly however, what shocked him was the pure neatness and profusion of items gathered there. From books to sole pages stacked on top of each other, as well as different materials contained within glass vials on wooden shelves, any nook and cranny were disposed of, utilized to hold something there.


    Promptly, the slave¡¯s eyes followed down towards the floor, on which a young man sat with legs crawled up beneath the table he couldn¡¯t make sense of.


    Noticing the sudden guesting, the busied man laid down the metal fork onto the table with countless signs engraved into its flesh.


    ¡°You finally came,¡± he said in the human tongue, standing up from the cramped position with eerie ease. With a quick, but hefty sweep of his hands against the gray waistcoat and pants, he stretched out his arm towards the man, a discreet line distorting across his face. ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but it¡¯s Lutiel, right?¡±


    Glancing down at the hand, he waited for a few breaths, only to eventually grab and firm it. ¡°Did Lady Zyponia tell you?¡± He asked with a blunt face, beneath a whit of hesitance.


    ¡°Oh, dear heavens forbid, I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯m just a simple messenger, I dare say. I bring out what must be told. And your name, it¡¯s screaming to be uttered,¡± he said while quickly taking his hand back, holding it in the air along with the left one and shaking them defensively.


    Looking at the night blue, tinted eyebrows bending upwards along the soured face, Lutiel¡¯s mien remained unchanged. ¡°Can you just give me the order my lady placed?¡±


    As his question rang out throughout the room, immediately, the man¡¯s face came back to itself. ¡°Where¡¯s the rush? I haven¡¯t even introduced myself yet, have I?¡± He said while the arms went behind his back, resting calmly as he bent his torso slightly. ¡°My name¡¯s Rudrik, with no surname just like you.¡±


    Springing back into an erect stand, he stared at Lutiel with fully open eyes, awaiting any sort of reaction. Alas, with nothing escaping his expression, Rudrick¡¯s face whittled away.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite sturdy, it seems. But, there¡¯s no wall that doesn¡¯t crumble eventually. Then, how about this?¡±


    ¡®Should I just tell her I couldn¡¯t get it?¡¯ He pondered over exiting while the man tattled to himself, however, his eyes started to shake immediately after. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Frozen in place, his muscles didn¡¯t respond, even his breathing halted while Rudrick smiled to himself impishly, the green eyes staring directly into him. Coming closer to him, the man couldn¡¯t do anything other than watch it happen.

 33. Peculiar Shop

    A step away from the butler, he brought out his left hand, briskly swishing through the air, arriving behind the right ear. Just as all of this was happening, the human simply rolled his eyes at the arm, his body screaming from inside to break loose.


    Yet, nothing ever happened. Instead, the man with no horns grazed his hand against the ear before bringing it back to his chest.


    Instantly, whatever had immured him tore apart, making the man jump back to the door and hit against it. With heightened breaths, he stared ahead as his brows furrowed, glaring at the shining, gold coin in the man¡¯s possession. Quickly, Lutiel grabbed himself by the area where he brought the coin out, trying to feel for anything, but only ending up with a fuddle instead.


    Then, he stared intently at the coin, on which a grinning face glistened brightly. Opening his eyes wider after recalling a certain feeling on his palm, his mouth moved suddenly.


    ¡°You¡¯re that old man,¡± he said, pointing at him, but the man simply threw the coin before catching it in the air, all while a faint smile hovered on his face.


    ¡°Maybe I am, or maybe that was you from the future, who knows,¡± he said, opening the same hand, but the coin no longer remained there. ¡°I do have to say, you¡¯re an interesting one. A kind of its own, if I may say that,¡± cackling near the end, Rudrik revealed his back to the man.


    Watching as he walked away towards the shelves, Lutiel¡¯s blankness didn¡¯t say anything, his mind wrecking havoc instead. ¡®What is he up to? No, what was that coin?¡¯ Yet, before any answer could come up, the one in front of him spoke anew.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about that coin, don¡¯t worry about it. It didn¡¯t do anything harmful to you, I think. It just extracted some information about you. What do you think, should I say about it to Zyponia?¡±


    Widening to the utmost brink, his eyes shook at the man. ¡®What does he know?¡¯


    ¡°No, don¡¯t think I will,¡± he muttered, rummaging through the shelves looking for something while Lutiel¡¯s breath steadied itself back to a slower, but still hasty pace.


    ¡°Oh, right, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just some physical measurements,¡± turning his head around, Rudrick winked at the restless human.


    ¡°What did you mean? The ¡®interesting¡¯ part. What do you mean by that?¡± Still with a straight face, he asked.


    ¡°That depends on what you find interesting. At least for me it is,¡± he said, not turning around whilst constantly looking for something through the wooden shelves.


    ¡°I want to know. I¡¯m interested,¡± said Lutiel while the man stopped at the same time, having spotted the thing he was looking for.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± his voice spread through the room as he turned around, sitting down under the table once again. ¡°But, well, I was going to tell you anyway.¡± With a prominent smile, Rudrik glanced up at the human brooding a befuddled expression.


    Before the creased forehead of the butler could speak up in any sort of way, he added on. ¡°I will be blank, I never thought I would have witnessed a human to hold so much magical energy. You see, I was interested in you ever since it got out that you will be going to the ball-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lutiel jerked in with a sudden question, for the man who raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°What? Did you not know you were going?¡±


    ¡°Why do you know?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®why do I know?¡¯¡± The man asked, sharing a confused expression. ¡°Everybody that will be there knows that Zyponia is bringing her boy servant. It¡¯s probably the main attraction for all of the demons, especially the guests from the voyage.¡±


    Voyage? Guests? Attraction? What the hell was he talking about? Lutiel¡¯s insides muddled themselves, grinding and churning at the unknown.


    ¡°Ah, maybe I told you a bit much,¡± Rudrik muttered under his nose, only to ease the matter. ¡°Ah, well, who cares.¡±


    Once again, Lutiel''s eyes twitched in consternation. He understood nothing the man was spouting. ¡°Who are those guests you were talking about? And why am I some attraction for them?¡±


    Looking at the human while taking out a clean, white sheet of paper, he placed it on the table before opening his lips again. ¡°I already told you enough about the first part, but I can explain the second. It¡¯s simply because Zyponia has never had a male servant before. She always made do with female ones. It¡¯s a special occasion for those who know her, alongside the ball itself.¡±


    ¡®No wonder Raeyine helped me understand so much.¡¯ He mused while lowering his head slightly. Locking his eyes towards the man, who began pouring some mucous, blue liquid on the paper, he parted his lips once again.


    ¡°Sorry for interrupting earlier. Can you continue?¡± He asked with a face that regained its apathetic composure.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rudrik muttered, keeping a pen against the paper while starting to scribble away at it. ¡°But first, turn around. I will explain as you do, but I can¡¯t let you see this right now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You will understand later,¡± he spoke mysteriously, but the man listened, turning around to face the doors without any fuss in the blood.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°As I was saying, I was interested in you already, but it only intensified after I saw you in person. The energies inside your heart were being kept, unlike a normal human, so I planted a coin into you,¡± he spoke softly, letting each word settle inside his head.


    ¡°And now, after a few days, it changed. The average energy is higher, as though you had trained and strengthened it, despite being a human.¡±


    Immediately, as the statement rang in his head, Lutiel recalled the weird metal Zyponia and Camilla watched him exercise with.


    ¡°I touched a certain metal. One that mysteriously siphoned energy out of my muscles only by touching it,¡± he said right after the man stopped, but it made his silence lengthen.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said calmly, however, without expanding on the topic. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s strange, almost as though you were a half-demon, but that is very much impossible.¡±


    ¡®Am I like this because of that bubble? I can¡¯t see any other option, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll understand what it was just like that.¡¯ Pondering on the useless questions that he would never get answers to, at least on his own, Lutiel felt a sudden waft come from beneath towards him, swaying the sleeves of his jacket.


    ¡°From the very composition of your muscles, as well as the beats of your heart, it¡¯s all odd. With the same mass of your muscles, a normal human would be about half as strong. On the other hand, your heart beat is slower, yet the flow of blood is fiercer, as if your body is unconsciously using the energy to strengthen its functions,¡± letting out his voice as the air inside the room started to whistle, Lutiel didn¡¯t dare turn around.


    ¡°Is that bad?¡± He asked, only to receive a hearty chuckle from the man behind.


    ¡°It might be, but it might also be great. It all depends on you,¡± he spoke with a calm undertone, a breath¡¯s silence spreading prior to him continuing. ¡°I already assumed it on the streets, but she told you about magic already, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    The human stood in silence, voices conferring in his head whether he should reply. However, it didn¡¯t take long for him to follow with the question.


    ¡°Yes, she did,¡± his voice crawling to the back as he nodded, Lutiel¡¯s eyes widened as he heard another question.


    ¡°Why do you want to learn it?¡± The voice traveled through the room while the airs receded away, dissipating almost completely. ¡°Is it because you want to help your brethren? Or are you simply interested in those otherworldly powers?¡±


    Crushed by the deafening silence, the man repeated the question in his head countless times, only to stagger off-track.


    ¡°Why should I trust you? For all I know, you could mutter it all out to her after I leave-¡± his voice tumbled through the room, shattering up into tens of pieces as he shut his mouth, looking at the man sitting underneath the table in front of him. ¡®Huh? But I hadn¡¯t moved around.¡¯


    Despite the murmurs in his head, his eyes collected themselves onto the folded piece of white paper, its sharp edges practically glistening to him under the warm light from above. Floating up, they saw Rudrik¡¯s soft smile, his eyes partially closed as he handed over the paper.


    ¡°Because you already have, from the moment you gave the apple away. You don¡¯t need to give me the reason. I already feel like I know it. Just take it, but remember, don¡¯t open it immediately, find space and time for it.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± With perplexion emitting through eyes around his emotionless face, Lutiel continued staring at the piece.


    ¡°Your clue to that power, or at least the beginning of it. Though, unfortunately, you¡¯re most likely not going to ever be capable of using it.¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving it to me, then?¡± His question lingered in the air while the man stuck a finger to his chin, acting like a storm was going through his mind.


    ¡°Because I want to see what comes out of it,¡± he spoke with a grin stuck to his face, having already taken off the finger and rested it on the table. ¡±The rest is up to you. You can either open it up, or burn it away, it¡¯s your choice.¡±


    ¡°Can it kill me?¡± The slave asked suddenly, making the other¡¯s eyebrow rise high up. Though, a moment after, it came to serenity. With a constant smirk lying on there, the response went out.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Silence shrouded against the man whose sight lowered down at the paper, as if something within lured him forward. ¡®Why does it feel like the moment that bubble appeared?¡¯ Standing frozen in the room, he wondered.


    Nevertheless, as seconds passed, finally, Lutiel¡¯s right arm moved forward, following his intuition. Yet, as he grabbed and pulled onto the folded paper, the grasp of the seller remained. Quickly glancing up, the man¡¯s eyes were no longer smiling, a serene contrast settling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose it. Keep it in your pockets on the inside of the jacket and don¡¯t show it to Zyponia or other servants. Got it?¡± His voice clamored through Lutiel, who instinctively shook his head into a nod. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be demanding your thanks in the future, if we do end up seeing each other. Now, let''s talk about the item Zyponia requested.¡±


    Suddenly pulling away on the paper, the slave yanked it out of his grasp before tightly keeping it shut. While Rudrik once again stood up from the table, he discreetly followed his orders, placing it into the pockets inside of the jacket.


    Meanwhile, the seller was once again skimmed through the shelves, this time on the other side of the room. However, with a much easier time, he quickly brought out something in his hands.


    Wrapped up in a burgundy cloth, its size came to a rough forearm, just slightly less than the man¡¯s. Nonetheless, he brought the twisted fabric forward to the table, promptly placing it on top of it before glancing up at the slave, whose gaze incessantly shone upon the veiled item.


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re interested,¡± he spoke with a slight chuckle as his body turned to the shelf filled with powders and liquids of all shades. Placing his hand on a certain, dark red powder sealed with a cork. ¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t show you what it is. That would be far too dangerous, even for a human like you.¡±


    However, the words didn¡¯t stop Lutiel from staring. ¡®What is this? It¡¯s almost screaming to get my attention.¡¯ Goaded by the thoughts, he continued watching as the man sprinkled some of the powder onto the cloth, promptly clinging to it without any aid of a glue or fluid.


    ¡®Yet, not the same as the paper did.¡¯ His head muddled itself with unexplainable intricacies, quickly stopping his state once Rudrik moved the item towards him, handing it over with delicate care.


    ¡°She already paid me, so all you have to do is bring it to her, understand?¡±


    Nodding his head, Lutiel held the sparkling cloth firmly, making sure his grip and footing didn¡¯t wane.


    ¡°Then go. And don¡¯t search for me tomorrow at the ball. I won¡¯t be participating.¡±


    ¡°How did you know, the-¡± his question was cut briskly as the air around him took on a change. Brazing briskly against his cheeks, he saw the streets once again, the same gloomy ones as before stepping foot into the shop.


    Under his puzzlement, Lutiel took a step forward before turning at the building, however, the doors weren¡¯t there anymore. Instead, a facade of a deserted building replaced it, the paint on the stone wall fading and stripping away.


    Looking down at the wrapped up item in his hands, he could only exhale a deep breath before heading for the carriage.

 34. Realizing

    Lutiel stood next to the window of his room, the skies engulfed by the brittle glimmer of stars and a murky shroud of clouds. His hands befell through the empty space while the right hand glowed with a singular, blue line.


    He had already finished his last lesson about demons with Raeyine after going back to the mansion, and as usual, she provided him with more of the same. ¡®As she said, they are no different from us, especially the horned demons and human nobles. It¡¯s almost as though I''m hearing about the nobles of the imperial capital.¡¯ He mused while the imaginary sword fell, grunting audibly and gritting his teeth through the pain.


    ¡®Am I starting to feel for them? For the demons? I don¡¯t know anymore.¡¯ His solemn eyes scoured through the bare space, glancing into the past. ¡®I¡¯ve seen the atrocities you¡¯ve all committed, I¡¯ve slain so much of your blood, so why now?¡¯ The thought roared as he hailed the sword above his head, slashing down as the words formed internally.


    ¡®Why are you so normal all of a sudden?! Why? You were supposed to be heartless monsters, so why is it the opposite?¡¯ His jaw clenched itself as the fake sword fell vigorously. Nonetheless, nothing formed out of it other than his pain and confusion. Had he gained a new perspective of them? Or did his slumbering self change without him noticing?


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand. No, I can¡¯t understand.¡¯ Under the statement flowing through his head, he fell to the floor powerlessly, convulsing as the right hand twitched blindingly bright. With ragged breathing, his jaw clenched itself to utter as little of the moans as possible.


    ¡®Has anything truly changed?¡¯ Lying on his side as the jaw eased up, his arms lifelessly hit against the panels. ¡®Be it the church or the empire, I was only their tool waiting to be used. As much as I hate to admit it, so far, a demon lord has treated me better than they ever did.¡¯


    His bare skin clung to the floor as the emotionless eyes stared into the walls. He hadn¡¯t moved a hair¡¯s breadth from his position. ¡¯Raphael, Byrde, Kylli, Daine, only you allowed me to live a truly free life, yet your own freedom vanished because of my stupidity and selfishness. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    Suddenly, clenching his fists, Lutiel briskly supported himself off the cold floor before sitting his back against the frame of the bed. Raising his sight towards the dark, pale ceiling of the room, countless thoughts formed and disappeared each breath, always dissipating away before he could grasp them.


    ¡®I¡¯m truly sorry. No matter what, I swear I will repay you. I will achieve what you always wanted and more. I will lead our world to a better place. Empty of the imperfections that take up everything and belittle all of us.¡¯ Declaring while clenching his fists once more, Lutiel raised himself from the ground speedily, walking to the middle of the room before gripping the air in front.


    With both hands tightly grasping the handle of a longsword he imagined, Lutiel closed his eyes while moving at a steady, peaceful pace. ¡®Still, I will have to fail you one last time. Although I¡¯m just their slave, they don¡¯t truly treat me as one. Unfortunately, the demons we were taught of by the priests aren¡¯t remotely close to the real ones. Only the influential and wealthy ones hold human slaves, just like our own nobles did. The church, no, the whole empire is lying to its people, and I will make them pay for it.¡¯ He mulled over the matter, his eyes changing vaguely as he stared off into the empty space.


    Even if his body hated them on its own, his mind finally understood something. The demons weren¡¯t some unholy beings he always categorized them as. From the way they lived their daily lives in the city, to even their language, they weren¡¯t monsters. They were people, just of different origins and circumstances than humans like him.


    The thoughts poured through him without breaking, conversing with the past as though it was right before him. With a forceful swing, he pushed his body down, light on the knees while performing the slash. One streak lightened up through his hand, but the itches lessened down to the point of the man completely bearing with it.


    ¡®Sorry for not speaking up earlier, but there was a lot hazing my mind, and I also didn''t know how to face you. So, I won¡¯t disturb your sleep any longer. Rest calmly; you don¡¯t even have to watch me from up there. Just know that I won¡¯t visit you without trying my best.¡¯


    Unbeknownst to him, as he once again repeated the motion with the thoughts clouding his mind, a faint crease adorned his lips.


    Reminiscing of the past, basking under the verdant springs of Aseun, Lutiel recalled the undulating hills he always stood on with the golden-haired girl. Swinging the sword through the dark room, with each time he performed the slash, the glyph around his hand eased up the prickling.


    At some point, as his breaths faltered and his movements started to hinder, all of a sudden, the painful vibrations stopped.


    Opening his eyes to the darkness, Lutiel¡¯s heavy breath caught the surprise, staring at two of the four streaks blossoming with light.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Immediately, he fell to the bed, creaking under his force, but he had little care for that. Sprawling his sweaty back and arms on the duvet, the chest heaved up and down as he stared calmly at the ceiling, his mind somewhat eased up off prior burdens.


    Having talked his soul out helped tremendously, and the man only wished he had done it sooner. Nonetheless, after lying there for a few breathful moments, he finally walked closer to the jacket he had hung on the chair.


    Rummaging through the interior pocket on the left side, his nails scraped against the smooth surface, promptly taking out the folded page. Bringing it closer to the bed, as he sat down on top of it not yet washed up, Lutiel ruminated on the note for a while.


    Judging from what the man said, opening it would inevitably change him, and he had no idea how.


    Seconds turned to minutes as he glanced at it without moving, the glistening sweat already dried off. ¡®The bubble has given me a second chance at life, then what would this give when it calls to me the same way?¡¯ He pondered for a futile answer.


    ¡®Haa, how would I even know?¡¯ As he thought, before long, the paper in his hands opened up, but unlike his expectation, no grand light came off it.


    Instead, in the very middle of it, there lay a small, blue word.


    ¡®Me¡­rai,¡¯ he thought at the same time as reading it, realizing that it was in the demons¡¯ tongue. However, as he did read it, he quickly turned the page, trying to see if there was anything else. Yet, there was nothing.


    ¡®He got me yet again,¡¯ he thought to himself, banging his head against the hard wall before bringing up the note once again. ¡®Was anything that he said true, then?¡¯


    Staring at the text, his eyes went over the word a couple times, but it was always the same, plain black scribble. ¡°Hmm? Wasn¡¯t it blu-?¡±


    Uttering the sentence, he failed to complete it, his lips staying wide open as he suddenly clenched his arms and stomach, the flesh inside tensing to a paralyzing degree.


    Locking himself of any motion, Lutiel¡¯s eyes strained out into the darkness, the veins around his neck protruding visibly outside of the collar. Falling onto the bed audibly, the vision around him contorted, absent of clarity. ¡®What did he give me?¡¯ He mused, but no reliable answer came.


    At the same time, he wanted to clutch his chest, feeling the blaring heart inside of him. Beating as though it wanted to get away from his body and rip out through the ribs, moments later, all the other organs replied.


    The body convulsing, his internal organs shook without stopping, his eyes sharing their fate as the room around vibrated. Tightening up, cold winds pierced through the skin all around, only adding to his quivers.


    ¡°Argh,-¡± he spoke with a spluttery, unmoving tongue as the mouth remained parted. ¡°Ah, agh,¡± he voiced, only reaching himself.


    Even his thoughts began to differ apart, drifting away from his common sense. Mingling with the darkness, his eyes slowly conveyed the countless images as he began to recover some of the fleshly control.


    With a nippy grasp, the right arm pounced him off the bed, promptly falling onto the floor. Crawling atop the panels while on his forearms, stains of crimson fluid were smeared on the ground. They flowed down through the clenched fists, the nails digging into the palms from the sheer pressure.


    Biting onto his lips, Lutiel¡¯s teeth prickled through them before faint droplets of blood fell down the floor, together with the previous spots. His lungs were already long since exhausted, but his current state only added additional strain. Panting breathless, the man begged for it to stop as he closed his eyes, however, nothing appeased the wish.


    Shivers grazed past his back as the cold wafts around the skin intensified. His jaws rocked against each other, on the verge of breaking his teeth and splitting apart the tongue. Falling to the side, Lutiel grabbed himself by the arms, trying to fight the crawling, bitter cold. His heart worked twice the beats to correspond, but none of it worked.


    From the inside, his organs felt as though they were going to melt while his skin meandered over freezing still.


    Before he could be aware of it, his mouth opened itself, a mucky fluid filled with pebbles of partially decomposed food falling down his fists. Continuing to barf for a few moments, he covered himself with the slightly blackened vomit.


    Finally, as he stopped, something inside of him began to recede. The palpitations of the chaotic heart started to move on course, beating with a regular, decreasing speed. Meanwhile, his insides no longer churned, nor did they scald.


    His skin following the same path, it stopped causing him to quiver ceaselessly, but the hard goosebumps remained for a while.


    Once again, he supported his back with the bed¡¯s frame, breathing like a madman through the calm of night. ¡®How much blood have I puked out?¡¯ The thought busied his head as he wiped off his lips, but looking at the puddle of the dark substance, his appetite for knowing plummeted. Quickly, he moved his right hand towards the middle of his chest instead.


    Tracing along the surface of the metallic imprint, Lutiel¡¯s fingers stopped as he felt the beats of his heart, pounding with an eerie vigour.


    Regardless, knowing that his heart beat carefully, he simply stood up with his head lowered at the pile of barf beginning to slowly taint the panels and seep through their minute nooks. Scratching along his nape with a finger, the slave stayed there for a few moments before finally getting into the shirt he omitted for training.


    ¡®Despite all of that hellish pain, I don¡¯t feel an ounce of difference. Just what the hell is merai?¡¯ He pondered while the shirt flowed down onto his skin. However, as he thought of the word, all of a sudden, Lutiel stopped.


    Letting the cloth descend unruly, he turned towards the window, stars engulfing his eyes. ¡®Magic,¡¯ his mind pondered as the sky seemed to take on a deeper shade of blue.

 35. Dressing Up

    ¡°You seem jittery,¡± her demonic tongue spoke through the crevice of her lips, directed at the meekly standing girl. Next to her, the head maid¡¯s uniform folded near her knees as she corrected the undergarments of her lady.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not,¡± she gave a terse reply amidst her distant eyes, only for Raeyine to raise an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Really? But I¡¯m down here, you know?¡± Her question made the demon lord back off to the room, quickly lowering her head. ¡°What¡¯s troubling your mind?¡±


    ¡°Haa,¡± a brisk sigh left her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m feeling anxious about today.¡±


    ¡°Is it about Lutiel?¡±


    Zyponia stood halted in place, despite their eyes meeting, she didn¡¯t really focus upon the yellow marbles. ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°Really? What are you so scared about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure some stupid coot will try and meddle with him,¡± exasperated at the end, her tired voice filling up the room¡¯s air. ¡°Only to try and mess with me.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re worried about that?¡± A smile adorned Raeyine¡¯s cheeks. Giggling as her hands traced along and straightened the dark straps on her blue thighs. ¡°Surely, there¡¯s no one stupid enough to offend you?¡±


    ¡°Well, it still won¡¯t shake up the bubbling feeling,¡± the girl muttered softly under her nose, only for her to flinch forward, feeling the sudden attention around her face.


    Glancing at the soft, dimly gray hands caressing her chin, the maid¡¯s calm face receded her worries somewhat. ¡°Don¡¯t stress so much. Even if there are going to be problems, he can easily deal with any of their slaves. Did you forget he dealt with the brothers going at him at the same time?¡±


    Her pink eyes followed to the side before breaking, the maid going near her back. ¡°And what if they bring out a slave with a horn?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like it¡¯s bound to happen,¡± she replied, shaking her head vaguely. ¡°He¡¯ll be nothing more than a cripple who can¡¯t use magic in their eyes. If they¡¯re still interested, then you should consider having them handed to Vaissen.¡±


    ¡°That damn Luviene. I shouldn¡¯t have sent him out that day,¡± she said to herself, beginning to nibble on her right thumb, however, before any of the tissue could get lost, her mouth was unable to close entirely.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost as though I¡¯m seeing the little Zyponia that first landed here,¡± with a cackle spreading behind her, the demon lord lowered her brows into a benign glare whilst turning towards the girl.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m going to laugh even more,¡± quickly adding, Raeyine almost lost her grip around the lace straps on the shoulders.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± she pouted, turning her head away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here for longer if he dies before we discover his true potential.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then you will have to stay by his side all the time.¡± She suggested as her hands grabbed the bra and fondled her breasts into place. ¡°Or give him to Luviene. I¡¯m certain she will be plenty entertained.¡±


    The words rolled across her hairs, quickly reaching the ears. Her veiled face soured slightly, but she composed it quickly enough. ¡°No way I¡¯d make the same mistake twice. Who knows what sort of thing she¡¯ll do next.¡±


    ¡°So you say, but it¡¯s not like she can¡¯t just enforce her wishes,¡± Raeyine spoke with a smirk around her, all while Zyponia lamented at the words.


    ¡°She still has to respect my choices, whatever position she holds.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll see today,¡± slapping her on the pithy bottoms, Raeyine promptly turned around, before any of the demon¡¯s strikes could get to her. ¡°Hey! You almost scratched my uniform.¡±


    Rolling her eyes at the spry maid, Zyponia looked ahead to the side, where a bed lay a dainty dress on its surface. Illuminating her tones, she watched as the head maid reached for the velvety gown.


    ¡°It¡¯s very pretty,¡± her tongue trailed off after stopping for a moment, taking in the dress fully through her eyes and hands.  ¡°It¡¯s by no doubt one of her works. Just take a look at the craftsmanship.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she agreed, her eyes sharing the maid¡¯s adulation. ¡°She says she only does it to be ready for an emergency, but I¡¯m sure she actually enjoys creating them. Have you seen Lutiel¡¯s costume?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± a smile beamed on her face as she brought the cloth closer to the lady, leaving the purple cape on the duvet. ¡°He¡¯ll be dressed better than a lot of the guests.¡±


    ¡°You should help him put it on later,¡± she spoke, closing her eyes as shadows engulfed her face from above. Sliding down on her body with delicate care for her horns to not rip it apart, the hovering dress quickly flowed all the way towards the carpet.


    Within a breath, the maid was already next to the lady, easing out the creases and folds for a smooth fabric. ¡°I was already planning to, don¡¯t worry.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°It seems like you two have good relations.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you getting jealous?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, shaking her head. Locking their gaze, she spoke with a somewhat cooler tone. ¡°I keep telling you, I¡¯m only trying to get him stronger for Vaissen to have an easier time with him. He may finally break our streak of failures.¡±


    Patting down near the area of her hips, Raeyine¡¯s hands brushed along the gown¡¯s surface, stopping immediately. ¡°Why are you holding yourself back this much? You know it¡¯s not good to keep it inside for so long. I can¡¯t remember the last time you had done it with someone.¡±


    Keeping silent, Zyponia¡¯s indifferent face screamed at the girl, despite not looking at each other.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± continuing, she stopped with the topic, at least from Zyponia¡¯s point of view. Grinning, her lips separated anew. ¡°So, that means I can get him all for myself, right?¡±


    Glancing slowly at the girl, the lord nodded softly, only to scowl a moment later as she heard the giggles spread throughout the room.


    ¡°I was just joking. I wouldn¡¯t dare do something like that with a mansion full of people.¡±


    ¡°Do whatever you want, I don¡¯t care,¡± the purple-haired demon blurted out plainly, parting their gaze and trying not to look at the constant glances of derision coming from her lady maid.


    Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t dull the subject any longer, the eyes fully attached upon the curvatures over the dress. As her hands pulled onto the gown, creases unfolded while revealing Zyponia¡¯s endearing presence.


    Looking at her as though she was a mannequin composed specifically for the attire, the maid promptly moved behind her before correcting the areas there. Almost fully done with the piece, she stopped a few steps away from the lady as her sight befell the yellow eyes.


    Resting softly on her arms, the dress uncovered her blue shoulders, clinging to her natural ways before faltering about beneath the legs, threatening to sway from the faintest, gracile movement of hers.


    She stood there for a while, grasping the full image of her lady, pondering about with intermittent glances on the bed.


    ¡°I think you will look better without the cape,¡± she spoke suddenly, catching the demon lord¡¯s intrigue. Her pink gaze scurried towards the bed, glancing beyond the glassy curtains. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°You can toss it away later. I was thinking the same anyways,¡± she spoke calmly, with her trusty, composed look.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to the necklace, then,¡± Raeyine spoke, her tone somewhat agitated as he turned at the dresser, on which many items glistened, but one stood out in particular. A rolled up and twisted cloth of dim red was set upon the top, inviting the two with its glimmering outshine.


    ¡­


    His vision began to peek through the closed up eyelids. Barely broken apart, almost fixed to each other, he had a hard time opening them up, unlike any past day.


    Sprawled across on his stomach, the man lay on his bed with a distant expression. Half-awake, he subconsciously moved his hand to rub his face before the frame quivered under his gradual stretches.


    Barely looking ahead of him, Lutiel¡¯s mind still played him yesterday¡¯s events while he promptly sat down on the bed¡¯s verge, processing the surroundings.


    Scratching his nape momentarily however, he quickly looked outside of the window, a slight panic engulfing his spirits. The sun had already peaked long ago, daring to shield its glory any given moment.


    ¡®Shit,¡¯ he broke out inwardly, the arms dashing along his body as he swiftly grabbed the hems of his pants, pulling them down together with the underwear before darting off to the wardrobe.


    ¡®She¡¯s gonna kill me if I¡¯m late,¡¯ he thought to himself while the doors creaked through his motions. With only his shirt left on him, it didn¡¯t help covering the parts of his that were usually kept away from the sun and others¡¯ eyes.


    With hasty movements, he didn¡¯t bother on discreteness, the eyes gleaming at the dark gray with a bluish tinge suit hanging on the coat inside.


    Quickly, he took both the jacket and the pants, busying his arms as he walked over to the bed, however, he promptly stopped in place, freezing momentarily.


    Lutiel stared at the maid in front of him, her black hair kept in their usual state, unlike the bundled-up mess on top of his head. Then, he flew towards her eyes, but their gaze never met.


    Looking him up and down the moment she silently entered the room, Raeyine stopped at the area around his crotch, only acting as he began moving once again, throwing the suit down at the floor.


    Slowly, she drifted around towards the wall. ¡°Eh-ehem, sorry, I wasn¡¯t aware you had just woken up. Did you stay up for long?¡±


    ¡°No, I just slept in,¡± he said with a straight face under the rustle of cloth as he put on new underwear.


    ¡°I see. You must have been exhausted, huh?¡± She mused along the topic, looking up towards the ceiling before eventually turning around at his words.


    ¡°You can look now, sorry for that scene.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she protested with a calm expression. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have barged in without knocking. Anyways, I came to help you dress up for the ball.¡±


    ¡°Am I not late?¡± He asked, turning around as he took the rest of the outfit from the wardrobe, a fair shirt and tie, as well as a pair of shoes matching the suit.


    Placing them along the main parts he already picked up onto the bed, the man sat down on the bed before putting on some socks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there is still around half an hour before you two should leave.¡± She eased his worries before stepping closer. Reaching for the suit, she took the jacket and pants away, raising them in the air.


    Having caught his attention, the man stopped, his sight focusing upon the attire that started to iron itself in the air, only to be hung on the chair near his empty desk.


    ¡°Thank you for the help,¡± he said, briskly glancing down at himself, his brows furrowing when he witnessed no tension around the abdomen. ¡®What? Have I regained more control from that note?¡¯ He asked himself, breaking out of the reverie as the girl¡¯s lips parted.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she spoke, turning to face him. ¡°Regardless, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to dress on your own.¡±


    Hearing the words spoke with zero hesitation, the man¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly as he succumbed under her small smirk. Recalling the first time he dressed on his own, he didn¡¯t deny her words.


    ¡°Raise your arms slightly,¡± she added, following his silence. Without a quarrel of thought and flesh, Lutiel moved to her orders, taking off the rest of his nightly attire before feeling as the pale-white shirt inscribed itself against his skin.

 36. The Ball 1

    Moving from one side to another, the maid finished putting on the piece, quickly buttoning the fine fabric from the top down.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± She asked out of nowhere while steadily descending to the base. Meanwhile, he simply gazed down at the movements of her hands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lutiel said after a breath of silence. ¡°You helped me out a lot, but I still have no idea what to expect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly normal. You¡¯ve lost your memory, after all. Just remember everything I told you once you¡¯re there.¡±


    ¡°...I will,¡± he said, with somewhat of a distant gaze. Still, quickly recovering from the abrupt, internal baffle, he looked up to her face, their eyes meeting before she promptly broke it.


    ¡°You can put on the pants now,¡± her voice danced through the room as she walked towards the desk. Taking the jacket at the top away, she allowed him to reach for the pants, and he didn¡¯t wait any longer.


    With calm breaths, he put on the grayish blue pants before buttoning the flies. Unlike his usual uniform, somehow, there was no need for a belt, the costume eerily close to his measures. Still, remembering the girl that gave him the suit, no surprise surfaced around his expression.


    ¡°Alright, give me your arms,¡± she spoke up whilst in hold of the jacket. Once again moving around him, the piece quickly fell upon him, no loose or craving spots.


    Beginning to button up the bottom portion since only there were the small metallic circles and leaving a flipped triangle around his chest, she first tugged on the cloth in the right places, fitting him into the suit with a finer degree.


    Following with the legs, she straightened out the pants before moving to the bed and reaching for the pompous, round tie matching his shirt. Through a smooth movement of her wrists, she folded the tie through his collar and under the jacket, placing it onto him.


    Protruding from the middle of his chest in the shape of a heart, the undulating tie reminded him of the vast nobles from the empire he had seen in the few parties he attended with the heroes.


    Nevertheless, he moved away from his thoughts, gazing at the girl taking a few steps back.


    ¡°She really made you look like some young noble,¡± Raeyine spoke as he clasped her hands, scouring through every part of his body. ¡°Though, we still need to straighten out those bed hairs. You really needed some sleep, huh?¡± She wondered with a finger around her lips.


    Somewhat awkward around the face, he kept silent. Watching instead as she moved closer, his hairs swayed from the sudden drop.


    Creaking and squeaking, the duvet waved briskly as her arms fell upon his shoulders, pushing him down to sit on the edge. Moving her right hand to the pocket around her uniform, she took out the brush he remembered from the bath she gave him.


    Though, the pain he recalled fell short in comparison. A grimacing expression collapsed through him as the girl pulled onto his bountiful strands. Separating the large clumps of hair into smaller ones, she repeated the action all throughout, leaving a fair bush around the brush¡¯s spikes.


    Nevertheless, going for another round, while Lutiel¡¯s eyes and nose wrinkled from the strenuous pain, his hair had been brought back to its wonted composition.


    Disposing of the dirty brush into her uniform¡¯s pocket, Raeyine swiftly stepped away, standing in the middle of his room while he rubbed away at his scalp to soothe the itchiness.


    ¡°All done,¡± she muttered under her nose before bringing her hands together. And, as she did, it prompted the man to reciprocate the glances.


    ¡°Thank you once agai-¡± He started speaking before she quickly jumped in, swaying her finger to the sides to deny his statement.


    ¡°I will get my thanks if you follow and remember my words,¡± her voice rolled in his ears, the girl quickly crossing her arms. ¡°Your master is anxious for you, so don¡¯t go causing any trouble, alright?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I understand. I will try my best even if some noble demon gets angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Good, there is still time to go, but we will be waiting outside of the mansion. You can come with me already.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± saying so as he reached for the glossy shoes, he swiftly put them on before heading out of the doors, closely following the girl a few steps off into the distance.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    A rabid and loud, yet smooth to the ear cadence played out as he stepped through the hallway in his new shoes. Once again, somehow, they fitted his feet perfectly, each of his toes getting enough room designated to not be squished against one another, yet the exterior made it seem the other way around.


    Quickly passing through the corridor junctions, it wasn¡¯t long before he saw the maid opening the doors to the outside, from where beams poured in and beat the floor¡¯s shadows.


    Waiting by the doors for him, fully opening one side, Raeyine stared right at him as he came closer. Following the movements of the slave butler, she closed the doors before her face took on a brisk change.


    From the mellow serenity, she blossomed into a smirk. The man before her stopped just two steps before the mansion, immured. His body turned towards a certain lady who stood right against the spraying fountain, the maid could only imagine his face as he stared at Zyponia.


    Her purple hair was tied into an orderly, wavy ponytail. Secured at the side, a sizable, faintly shaded flower adorned the violet tones.


    Painted softly, her cheeks embodied a pinkish flare that didn¡¯t stand out, even against her complexion. Then, his sight followed down, towards her neck on which his sight seemed to linger the most.


    A golden chain glowed out its reverence, in the bask of sparsely dark skies, but he mostly glanced below it, at the gem they upheld. A crimson glow emanated through the middle of the crystal larger than the coin he left in his room. However, as much as he wanted to stare at the jewelry, he kept on moving his gaze.


    The girl awaited the two calmly, her gloved hands touching one other with delicate care. More so than he saw inside the shop, the dress suited her beyond the mannequin¡¯s capabilities, flowing on her in a vivacious manner.


    Near the bricks, supporting her sleek feet were blue, of a fair undertone, kitten heels, seemingly made purely from glass, but Lutiel couldn¡¯t know.


    ¡°You¡¯re practically ogling her,¡± a faint whisper swished past his right ear before he grasped it with a flinched reaction, followed by a spreading laughter from the maid that already went past his slow approach.


    ¡®Was I?¡¯ He wondered, uncertain, but with a quick shake of his head, Lutiel already began moving towards his lady.


    His soles clacked against the paved path encompassing most of the grounds. In no more than ten steps, he had already stopped before the two girls, glancing up at the face of his master.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come timely,¡± she posited. ¡°The guests have arrived at an earlier time than they anticipated. We will already be late if we go now, so let¡¯s get on the carriage.¡± Proposing, her slave briskly nodded his head in approval, swiftly receiving a vague shrug of shoulders after glancing at the maid.


    Nevertheless, his eyes followed the demon lord who already turned around, right to where a black carriage stood, seemingly ready to go at any moment. Turned towards the opened gates, the horses fidgeted in place, raring to pull on the four wheels behind them.


    Ravier, unlike usually, didn¡¯t await opening the doors for the lady, instead grasping onto the reins. So, with a rapid step, Lutiel easily overtook Zyponia¡¯s leisurely pace.


    ¡°Please come in, my lady,¡± he said, inviting her inside the interior after opening the doors. Deliberately ignoring the scalding glare coming from the back, he simply saw as Zyponia stopped on the stairs, turning at Raeyine.


    ¡°Keep an eye on them,¡± she said, her straight face seemingly cold.


    ¡°Of course, my lady. I will make sure everything is in check,¡± the maid spoke while bowing ever so slightly. However, as Zyponia began moving inside, she quickly raised her head. ¡°Please enjoy yourselves.¡±


    Nodding sparingly, the demon lady swiftly entered, her slave butler mimicking right after. Standing still beside the fountain, the waving maid kept on watching as the carriage moved towards the gates in the distance, turning around only as they escaped into the horizon.


    On the other side, inside the carriage, neither moved from their designated place, be it out of comfort or awkwardness. Almost touching with their knees, they sat against each other in the middle of the seats whilst staring outside of the windows.


    Lutiel and Zyponia watched as they passed the lingering forest around her mansion, briskly changing into an open scape of continuing hills, broken apart only by the white mountains at the end of their sight.


    Nevertheless, with a plain face not showing anything, Lutiel carried on looking out, despite feeling the girl¡¯s eyes creep upon him.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Have you gotten used to living here?¡± Suddenly, his face flinched at the question, but it was only a flash for the girl, quickly witnessing his usual composure placed right in front of her.


    ¡®I guess she opened up to me,¡¯ he mused, turning to the lips merging in with the shade of her eyes. Nevertheless, forgetting of the lingering feelings inside his body, the man already made up his mind.


    ¡°Better, my lady-¡± he started speaking, only for his voice to drown under hers.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it,¡± her voice emanated out softly, gracefully grazing his ears. ¡°You¡¯re my partner for the ball today, so talk to me normally.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he staggered somewhat before ruling out the flickering beliefs in his depths, he looked at her calmly. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now. I¡¯ve only been here for a week and a half, but I believe I¡¯m pretty used to it already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she spoke, a faint smile covering her face. ¡°I was worried you would need a few more weeks, but it¡¯s almost as though you¡¯ve already been living with us. Not to mention, you seem less angry with us. Has something happened?¡±


    Hearing the inquiry, his face didn¡¯t change in the slightest, remaining equally calm while the head tinkered about something ever since yesterday, after all the lessons he had spent with Raeyine.


    ¡°Are demons evil?¡± He asked rather than replying, his looks indifferent to emotions.

 37. The Ball 2

    Quickly, as the abrupt question entered her ears, Zyponia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in shock, not having expected anything of the sort. ¡°Have you remembered your past?¡± She awaited his reactions, but he didn¡¯t fade in front of her.


    ¡°Glimpses of it, but it¡¯s all still a bit messy,¡± he spoke up while the girl seemed a bit shaken up, though she immediately cooled off.


    ¡°Why are you asking? Shouldn¡¯t you know the answer already?¡±


    Shaking his head lightly, he spoke up. ¡°I remembered the priests preaching about your deeds and your kind, but I want confirmation. From an actual demon.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re trusting me? Have you forgotten I enslaved you?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°No, I remember,¡± he said while glancing down and touching his chest. ¡°But, I still wanted to hear your answer.¡± ¡®So, will you lie, or are you going to tell me the truth I saw?¡¯ He thought whilst staring at the troubles pivoting her face.


    ¡°Haa,¡± she sighed sparsely, nippily locking eyes with the man. ¡°Some of us are evil, that is true. There are also some that are cruelly evil. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that the majority of the demons are the same. In fact, most of us lead a calm life. A fraction are good, and few are great. Yet, the same can be said about your kind, no?¡±


    ¡®Correct,¡¯ he said to himself, staring at the pink eyes in front of him. Nodding slowly at her words, he agreed to her words. ¡°Yes, from what I remember, there were nobles possessing slaves. But,-¡± His words were cut.


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering whether the slaves here are innocent citizens?¡± She asked with a faint smirk, one that only blossomed as he once again nodded. ¡°What do you think the answer is?¡±


    The words rumbled in his head as he recalled the previous days. Driving through the city, there were plenty of slaves near the outer layers, few of whom remained inside his memory. Because of the lack of variety.


    ¡°You took them as slaves because they opposed and tried to fight you,¡± his voice spread through the carriage while the girl¡¯s eyes brightened up, promptly bobbing her head up and down softly. ¡°Then, what happened to the people in this town? I haven¡¯t seen any free humans anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Some are still lingering around and hiding, but the majority have already fled away, most likely to the imperial capital.¡±


    ¡®As I thought. If she isn¡¯t lying to sway my mind, the holy city must still be standing,¡¯ he mused internally, not releasing any emotion out to the world.


    ¡°So, what do you think? Of the monsters that are out to kill you?¡± She snickered, gazing out upon the distant city he always visited, the carriage going in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Though a lot don¡¯t like my presence in the city, I still think you¡¯re the same to us in a lot of aspects. Thank you for the answers, Zyponia,¡± he said whilst the lady turned around, creasing his eyebrows as she suddenly immured near the end.


    ¡°... You¡¯re welcome, Lutiel,¡± awkwardly, she called out his name, breaking apart her frozen state while keeping eyes upon him. Still, coughing suddenly, she briskly changed the subject.


    ¡°Ehem, anyways, you said you remembered bits from your past, right?¡± As she said the words aloud, her state traveled back to normalcy.


    ¡°Yes,¡± with a terse tongue, he reciprocated the stare.


    ¡°Do you remember hiding in that cave? Any instance of it?¡± Her face beamed with solemnity as the words fell inside his ears, however, despite lying his way to get answers out of the lady, he beset her with truth, shaking his head decisively.


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s a shame, but it doesn¡¯t really matter. No matter how it happened, your body is still better than others,¡± she said covertly, however, the man¡¯s head festered with ideas.


    ¡°The magical energy?¡± He asked, making her eyes widen abruptly.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± She pried with a rabid celerity.


    Staying silent for a few breaths, he eventually bent under her glare, with no pain escaping his chest. ¡°It was Rudrik. He said my body was different from other humans, and that my magical energy was higher than usual.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh,¡± she let out a frowny breath, swiftly massaging her temples with a hand. ¡°Just when will I learn from my mistakes? What else has he told you?¡±


    ¡°About the guests and their voyage to here,¡± he muttered under complete silence, only intensifying after he finished. If before the girl was partially irritated, now, she glared at thin air, blanking off somewhere from the anger she felt.


    His vision quickly followed down as he heard the audible clenches of her fists, however, before he knew, she already arrived back to herself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, that old geezer has long since lost it in his head,¡± she said suddenly, glancing down at the bright necklace she had been wearing all the way from her room. ¡°He¡¯s only good with jewelry now.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡®I should ask about it. He only said not to show anyone the note. It shouldn¡¯t matter after I already read it,¡¯ he mused while staring at her necklace with the bright-red gem.


    ¡°He also gave me some note to read before I left,¡± he spoke up calmly, quickly awaiting her next face.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± A tinge of confusion spread around her eyes. ¡°What was on it?¡±


    Without thinking twice, his tongue rolled as he spoke up. ¡°Merai. At the first, the word was blue-,¡± Lutiel stopped speaking, unable to have omitted the obvious change in reactions.


    From irritation to anger, now, her face wilted with a paralyzed dread. Staring at him with full eyes and an open mouth, the girl remained that way for a few quiet, yet deep moments.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± She muttered in utter disbelief, unable to construct proper reasoning. However, rather than getting angry at the one that gave him the paper, she all of a sudden leaned forward, beginning to fondle his body with keen eyes.


    He was grasped by the forearms, the girl firming her grip around the slave, all while his eyes couldn¡¯t understand what he was seeing. ¡°Are you telling me he gave you a note containing that word?¡± She asked, but in his eyes, she didn¡¯t really focus on getting the answer, rather feeling for his body instead.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke up, through a distressed tone of a composed facade. ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± Quickly following her arms¡¯ movement, Lutiel saw her climbing up, swiftly reaching for his shoulders and neck with both hands, the touch lingering with a cool sensation to the skin as he flinched gently.


    Regardless, Zyponia¡¯s grip was too great for him to ever think of ways to escape, her sleek fingers smoothly rummaging through his hair and face while she seemingly searched for something through a speechless motivation.


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be,¡± she muttered after a while, almost too delicate for him to catch the words. ¡°Yet, you aren¡¯t lying.¡± With consternation, she already slipped away from his head. Standing on the floor in the middle of the ride, her right hand lowered itself towards the middle of his chest, right at the base of his tie and where his brand lay.


    Yearning for the beating of his heart, Zyponia stared down at his eyes without an ounce of a word flowing through, leaving him times more confused than before. Though, as she finally retrieved her arm, the demon lord remained to stand there, dwelling at the man whose gaze threatened to break away under the intensifying glare.


    Still, before his sight could drift apart from her, quickly, his arms stretched out as he bounced up together with the carriage. Right as it had driven over some unstable path, the interior shook and those within as well.


    The lady, having fallen to the man¡¯s embrace, stared around the space after feeling her seating near his lap. With a blink, she caught his face from behind, swiftly getting away before landing on her own seat and correcting her dress.


    Closing her eyes, the arms crossed after she pointed something to him. ¡°Smooth out your sleeves. Sorry for the sudden surprise, but I needed to check something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, my lady,¡± he uttered by mistake, quickly glancing up at her, only to see her unbothered, thinking face. ¡°Was it related to the word?¡± He asked, but the words only hovered around the space, unanswered no matter how many breaths the girl released.


    ¡®Is she still thinking about it?¡¯ Lutiel mused while turning to the murky veil taking over the lands outside of the windows. ¡®No wonder he didn¡¯t want anyone to see me with it. But, is it actually related to magic? No, no, it must be.¡¯


    As the thoughts poured out from his head, the silent grasp around them simply accompanied the fading sun. Since she didn¡¯t, maybe couldn¡¯t talk with him, he continued to stare at the reappearing stars while the carriage had become enlightened from the ceiling, a small, pale crystal glowing dimly at the duo.


    Focusing his eyes to see beyond their reflections, the dark path almost fully encroached his vision, yet as it finally passed them, he leaned closer, his eyes squinting just slightly.


    Far beyond in the distance, something glowed meekly, however, he couldn¡¯t truly describe the images through the panes. But, the sight he caught had promptly been taken over, gradually looking back in front of him.


    ¡°Tell me how you felt when you read it,¡± the girl spoke out of nowhere, revealing her pink eyes.


    Lutiel stopped for a second as images resurfaced inside him. Pondering on the tightening sensations, he briskly raised his head straight towards her.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t really move for a while after, and my heart felt like it could escape at any moment,¡± he started speaking to the girl showing no emotion. She only listened in on every word he gave out. ¡°I thought I was going to die from how hot I was inside, yet there was a freezing sensation creeping along my skin all over the body.¡±


    Staring down because of the words, the girl ruminated endlessly, only breaking apart once the carriage took a sharp turn to the right. Leaning back to the middle of the seats, her lips parted.


    ¡°Meiar,¡± she said, glaring deeply into him while his sight drifted apart. Catching his ear with a hand, Lutiel tried to mellow out the abrupt ringing, but it could only end on its own a few moments later.


    His eyes rolled about the place, sweeping through, but in the end, he went back to the lord, taking in the entirety of her image, something eerie about the figure.


    Still, with enough time, the sight finally stabilised and a harsh breath entered his body, the man¡¯s heart racing all throughout the sensations.


    ¡°What do you feel now?¡± Her voice stretched out towards him, whose heart began to beat slower. With a steadier breathing, he exhaled deeply before staring right at her.


    ¡°Disoriented,¡± a coarse reply left his mouth, making the girl¡¯s lips perk slightly.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± mystery flowed towards him, and before he could even ask any question regarding the matters, she added briskly. ¡°Welcome to the world of magic.¡±


    It was the same feeling as before, he mused. As she uttered the last word, the air around his ears harshened, but at least, he didn¡¯t feel so out of touch as before. No rampant beating escaping his chest, the eyes moved freely around the place.


    Yet, once again, before he could do anything, Lutiel found himself wondering. This time, why they had stopped moving already.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she eased his doubts, however, standing up from the seat while he quickly looked outside of the window, the eyes widening after seeing a staggering image.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t there still so much road to beat?¡¯ He asked himself, staring at the illuminated palace, a mansion that made Zyponia¡¯s pale in comparison. Nevertheless, no answer came alight, the girl only speaking before they left for the ball.

 38. The Ball 3

    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t meddle with any demon¡¯s provocation. Don¡¯t worry about speaking, because you won¡¯t be able to. And, you¡¯re going there as a deaf and mute, alright?¡±


    Despite the troubles plaguing his mind, Lutiel still nodded at her words.


    ¡°Good, now, let¡¯s move,¡± she said, watching as the man stood up to open the doors for her. Reserving any reactions, her figure swiftly traveled down the steps upon the paved road. Following his lady, his soles swiftly clattered against the bricks.


    Closing the doors of the carriage, finally, the sights all around bellowed onto him. Standing beside the lady, they walked towards the gates sprawling all around their already limited vision. Black metal glistened under the sparse starlight, columns with winged statues overseeing the new visitors.


    Opening almost immediately as Zyponia came closer, without any additional word, Lutiel¡¯s eyes were soon engulfed by the extensive forecourt.


    Bricks crawling all along to the minute doors in the distance, stone railings followed the edges of the road before trailing off into tens of paths. Green, rectangular bushes spread behind the railings, towering over them at least twice in size.


    However, his intrigue couldn¡¯t last long. Without any prior warning, Zyponia¡¯s heels tapped along the bricks while leaving her slave behind. Quickly, the man followed his lady as they made their way through the vacant, free of any souls manor.


    Despite the lack of people coming towards the doors, Lutiel¡¯s sight followed up, looking at the windows of the palace. Fully enlightened throughout, there didn¡¯t seem to be a single room empty inside the mansion.


    Glancing to the side, he caught the face of his master, unimpressed unlike the man. Walking through the path as though it was her typical day, the demon¡¯s silhouette was grasped by the light from the cyclical, black metal poles with a yellow crystal brightening the dark at the top.


    However, trying not to catch any attention by staring for too long, the slave promptly turned back to the path ahead, walking behind his lady all the way towards the doors.


    Treading through the seemingly unending road, they had finally arrived near the doors of the staggering palace, built directly on the cliff overseeing the vast ocean beyond.


    With a spry step, he opened the door for his lady, starting to gesture for her to walk in. Yet, as the doors flung open, his ears experienced a shock, only to whittle into utter silence. The din his head went through stopped immediately, the figures inside halting themselves after turning to the entry.


    He couldn¡¯t see them, however, he knew all of their gazes were directed at the one walking in front of him. And, walking in right after, his eyes finally grasped the sensations.


    Standing all around the grand hall, be it on the marble floor, or the carpeted stairs, demons of all images stopped to engrave her image into their eyes. Their glasses, filled with a sparkling, subtle yellow fluid, no longer swirled around, having resisted themselves from taking yet another sip.


    Neither did they talk any longer. All to await for the lady stopping a few steps away from the doors. Gazing calmly through the place, she promptly glanced up, towards the man staring down at the two incomers. His hands calmly rested along the railings of the floor the stairs led to, a spreading smirk painted his pale face.


    Lutiel also glanced up, seeing the two, swirling horns spreading from the man¡¯s forehead. With short, sky-blue hairs that spiked up, immediately, images played out in the slave¡¯s head.


    ¡®Genor,¡¯ He uttered inwardly, staring at the calm smile of the demon lord.


    ¡°Tis intene taca ges yek e timaun junt li aet, Zyponia,¡± his soft voice graced the ears of all demons scattered throughout the place, all bearing suits and dresses sophisticated in their own ways. The male demon lord, on the other hand, presented himself highly in a pearly-white suit that glistened under the lights of the crystal chandeliers.


    ¡°Tis inbie obco kozs ges misl. Gove gade¡¯yr tis¡¯o kozs¡¯t ges ster dho meta¡¯yr vic aerl?¡± Her voice spread throughout the place like a gale of a storm, catching itself into the ears of every guest gathered there.


    However, despite the somewhat irritated expression around her, Genor simply grinned before raising his stretched out arms towards the crowd.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯t la elie un geas vic thigafi? Geas la nuen kiz imper, in?¡±


    As the demon lord spoke up with the leisurely gaze of his, the demons chanted at his words, raising their toasts before sipping on the bubbly champagne.


    Releasing a short, but sharp breath, Zyponia softly turned her head at Lutiel, promptly shooting the eyes towards a certain direction along the stairs.


    ¡°Reped ciko e siq, intane ges? Tane ges in petavir elie un tias¡¯o kiz dho gesc ges pryney?¡± He asked with raised eyebrows, astounded at her attitude. ¡°Elie un tias¡¯o vanr kiz crav dho mez, ges vidi.¡±


    Looking at the mellow derision kept within the gray white eyes of his, Zyponia¡¯s head soon turned around the place, taking in all of the expectant gazes from the single-horned demons. Regardless, moving back to rest for a few moments on Lutiel, she quickly turned around, adding only the words she needed to.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Tis gotovelie gede geas elie geas nete kiz crav,¡± her tone trailed off, disappearing as she began heading for the stairs on the right.


    Without waiting any longer, Lutiel also followed his lady, ignoring all of the glances coming his way, which seemed to move from every demon gathered there, especially from the one near the marble railings.


    No longer donning a smirk, he stared at the collared man with a blank face, as though trying to read everything about him. Yet, before long, he promptly spun away in disinterest.


    Taking sparse glances at the noble demons gradually starting to go back to themselves, either speaking to each other or just downing the drinks from the trays the slaves brought over, Lutiel quickly stepped along the stairs leading up to the higher floor.


    Following Zyponia, he turned right, swiftly traversing around the hallway, where a few more demons conversed with each other. Looking at the lady however, they swiftly bowed their heads down, raising their eyes slightly to include the man in their grasp.


    Glancing at their darkly tuxedos, the slave locked his eyes with one of the demons, but against his thoughts, the demon simply raised his body before going back to talking with his group.


    ¡®It¡¯s different than I imagined,¡¯ he said inwardly while staring at the doors they were moving towards. ¡®They¡¯re all too meek.¡¯ He wondered, only to witness Zyponia boldly grabbing by the handles to the room before he could even get in front of her.


    ¡®What is she doing?¡¯ The man mused while her arms went behind her swiftly, pulling onto the ornate doors. Unlike before, the voices hadn¡¯t come to an end, continuing while merely losing their intensity.


    Of course, the demons still turned at the visitors, and once the image of the girl played in their minds, they quickly quieted down. Flaunty by all vivid shades and shapes, their costumes promptly stopped swaying as they corrected themselves in place.


    Under incomplete silence, destroyed by musician melodies, Zyponia began walking through the middle of the expansive ballroom, the demons inside giving way for a free walk. The silence that prevailed throughout the place, however, briskly halted as the purple-haired lady gestured something Lutiel wasn¡¯t able to catch.


    Almost immediately, the racket of dialogue spread out through the room. Around the clothed tables, groups of demons exchanged fleeting glances at the lady with each other, only to glare at the human slave while conversing with one another.


    Nearly all of the dignified figures, wearing beyond ostentatious attires, kept their stares right at the man behind Zyponia, their words flowing through his head despite their silent nature.


    ¡°In vinta art teca ars¡¯o v,¡± a high tongue whispered far beyond his reach, yet the man felt as though the demon was directly inside his ear.


    ¡°Bie ges misl art szel zy ars¡¯o?¡± Another strident embrace tickled his ears, even with nobody near him, all of the ones staring measly pondering by their tables filled with booze and food to the verge.


    ¡°Oh, tis li secur ara yast beie arn,¡± a coquettish tone filled his head, certain words beaming louder than the others.


    All around, the words spoke to him as they flowed through the space, like a whirlpool that sucked him inside. His eyes shook while staring at the hazily front. Each word that passed through his ears seemed to take him by storm, making following the lady more and more difficult.


    His step faltered slightly, but regardless, he tensed his stomach, looking at the deep blue gown walking in the distance, away from him. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, she was only getting rid of him, further away with each passing moment.


    The words had long since turned into a mush of incoherent whispers, ones that made his gut and mind churn. Walking through the marble floor, he stared at his foggy reflection, as the heart began to beat chaotically.


    He breathed in and out erratically, unlike a few moments ago, yet, before the man knew it, all the sensations swept away, while his left arm hit against a soft impact.


    Feeling someone¡¯s grasp around his arm, his head moved quickly while his lips tried to open up. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ He said internally, quickly realizing he couldn¡¯t speak out in the slightest. His vocal cords didn¡¯t utter a single vibrance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, it¡¯s me,¡± a delicate voice mumbled through his ears, before the image of a familiar face shrunk his agitation. A head full of red flowing past her elbows, with a face that bred softness and sharpness tantalizingly. ¡°Let¡¯s move away from this ruckus, shall we?¡±


    Glaring at the emerald dress desperately clinging onto her shoulders by two fine strips, his eyes flinched away as her cleavage expressed itself freely to him.


    A giggle spread at his reactions, but with a quick word, the girl made him look around. ¡°Are you still distracted? Can you even see me?¡±


    ¡®Luviene? When did I?¡¯ He asked himself with doubt, scouring along his arms that grasped the lady. His right arm was right below hers as she grabbed him by shoulders. Meanwhile, both of their remaining hands united themselves, stretched out to the side.


    Despite his confusion, he saw that his feet were moving clearly, adjusted beneath the step and rhythm of his ball partner. The demon girl with two horns atop her head carried the man, their movement flowing with a smooth grace as they stood by the arched window towering over them.


    ¡°Geez, I was so excited when I saw you yet you aren¡¯t responding,¡± Luviene rolled her eyes while the man finally sprung his face back at the girl, trying to imply her his inability to speak.


    However, his eyebrows furrowed when a finger clasped his lips, burying itself into them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about their gazes. They won¡¯t be able to see or hear you talk at all.¡±


    Even further, his brows creased as he tried to find the meaning of her words. ¡°Ah,¡± he uttered silently, shock splashed within the voice. Unlike his attempt a few breaths prior, the mouth moved with bountiful ease.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lutiel asked mildly, with a voice quieter than a falling leaf. Rapidly, he saw her smile at the question before nodding to affirm the man.


    ¡°They see us as a pair of two dancing. Even if we stopped all of a sudden, unless I wanted it, they would still witness the same,¡± she said while a wink flew his way, the duo turning around simultaneously under her guidance. ¡°I mean, why not see for yourself?¡±


    For yet another time that he saw her, his eyes began to widen as he felt the abrupt grasp around his lips. Glaring at the green gems glimmering into him after stealing his second kiss, before he could get angry at her, the demon had already gotten out of his face, smearing away the saliva around her lips with a bare hand.


    Still, even if it wasn¡¯t as strong or long as the first one, Lutiel glanced at her with an annoyed look, the eyebrows flaring up slightly. ¡°Do you always have to kiss me?¡±

 39. A Dance Under The Moon

    ¡°Hmm?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°Did you not like it? I barely stopped myself this time. I don¡¯t know how, but you¡¯ve gotten tastier. I think I¡¯m in love even more now.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he spoke harshly. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on. Don¡¯t be so cruel,¡± her voice filled itself with disappointment, practically pouting at the man. ¡°I won¡¯t give it to you so easily in the future if you chase me away now. Besides, I just did it to ease your worries.¡± she spoke, but the man¡¯s blank face didn¡¯t believe it. Not until he glanced to the side, beyond her face.


    Like she said, the demons outside of their little scene simply stayed to their own. Some danced together just like they did, while most gathered around the circular buffet tables. However, other than some sparing glances, the guests never stirred up any rumors or trouble. They left Zyponia alone, so his true identity couldn¡¯t have been revealed.


    At least none of the normal demons occupied her. Standing in the middle of the ballroom, where the largest and most prominent of the round tables stood, the purple-haired girl stood around people that never seemed to break under her. Even though the man was unable to categorize them as any of the demon lords.


    Yet, even if she spoke casually to the demons near her, he could see her gaze breaking apart before swiftly drifting off towards where he and Luviene danced, directly under the moon¡¯s glare.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, you know? You should stop looking at other women when you have a fine lady next to you,¡± all of a sudden, he heard Luviene¡¯s complaints, prompting him to look back at her sullen face.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He asked with indifference. ¡°I was only wondering who the people next to her were. Are they important?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Getting jealous?¡± She asked swiftly, making his face sour ever so barely.


    ¡°I was just wondering,¡± he said after shaking his head.


    ¡°I will take that as a yes, then,¡± she said, a smirk flowing while a sigh crawled out of him. ¡°Let¡¯s just say those ones are actually important, unlike the ones all around the ball. They are here to discuss the actual reason Zyponia came in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he muttered, trailing away into the distance before feeling a rough grasp below him. Gripping onto his chin, Luviene made his eyes unable to leave her.


    ¡°What did I tell you? I tried so hard to get you here, yet you don¡¯t seem to care about me at all,¡± she spoke through a forcefully saddened voice, making him shake his head internally after watching the show.


    ¡°Did you? I was invited here the same day I met you,¡± he stated with a blank face, widening the eyes of a girl somewhat before they subsided. ¡°I thought you wanted others to know Zyponia had a male slave,¡± Then, she raised her brow.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°I guessed,¡± his straight face gleamed to the lady, her intense glare trying to look right through him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, but I don¡¯t believe those words,¡± she said, quickly changing back into a serene expression, her lips creasing just barely as they stared into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Though, since you already know, how are you enjoying the invitation so far?¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be worse,¡± he blurted, making her brows smear away to a frown. ¡°The glares of some of them could kill me.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was the opposite,¡± she said, her sight going down somewhat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you learning a lot about the demons right now? Don¡¯t you remember how you felt a few moments ago?¡±


    Furrowing his eyebrows, he thought about the words, only to shake his head in a swift reaction. ¡°I¡¯ve learnt a lot more just staying in the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s only just started anyways, there is still a full night for -,¡± she stopped speaking suddenly, glancing up and smiling at the man once again as he cut her words. Yet, when the sentence grazed the ears, Luviene¡¯s face wrinkled with a fuddle.


    ¡°However, I can¡¯t deny some of the words they keep saying are stuck in my head,¡± he said, under the girl¡¯s eerie confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean? Which words?¡±


    He stared at her green eyes, glimmering under the rife chandeliers. Looking at each other, with a casual, almost emotionless approach, Lutiel poured the words out, in as best of an attempt as he could.


    ¡°Tis, ges, li, bie, or something like that. They keep repeating without stopping,¡± he said, to which the girl soothed the flow of their dance. Gradually slowing down, she stared deeply into his face, the confusion dissipating away into the unknown.


    ¡°Meiar,¡± she spoke all of a sudden, under the confident look on her face. ¡°I knew it,¡± she followed as the look around his face seemed unfazed, as though he had already gone through the action.


    ¡°Haa,¡± she sighed while her head quickly plummeted down, glaring at the ground. ¡°I knew I should have done it earlier, damn it! Tell me, who was it? Who told you about it?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Rudrik,¡± he said boringly, his eyes with the same, dim gleam about them. ¡°Though Zyponia said it right in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I think I get the picture,¡± her words trailed off for a moment, however, she quickly came back, beaming at him with her smirking composure. ¡°But, nevermind that, you¡¯re really making my mind stutter, huh? It¡¯s great that you¡¯re still in one piece, I would¡¯ve killed that old fart had I heard anything.¡±


    Immediately, his eyes sank. Recalling the murky thought prior to reading the note, his face blossomed solemnly. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Yet, despite his seriousness, her lips curved further up. ¡°Usually, human hearts explode the moment they hear that word.¡±


    ¡®Huh? What?¡¯ His depths roared while his face painted a portrait for the lady. She couldn¡¯t hide her amusement, so she instead sped up his moves. Flowing through her lead, his feet followed right after her, all while the girl¡¯s face neared closer.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand how. You won¡¯t get it anyway, at least for now,¡± she said, somehow making his face turn back to normal. Watching as their noses were practically glued to each other, she closed the distance even further.


    However, unlike the welcoming kiss, she came closer to his left ear, making his brows flinch while the steamy breath brushed past his earlobe.


    ¡°The tongue is more powerful than you can ever imagine,¡± she whispered to him, barely abstaining from kissing the skin. ¡°Do you want me to show you?¡±


    Once again, before he could break her grasp of him, she quickly stepped back. Leaning under the movement, he danced swiftly, spinning about through the floor.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be so tense. I can¡¯t always make you move,¡± she spoke, promptly making his body flop about, staggering against itself as though he had just learned to walk.


    But, he didn¡¯t care for that. ¡°Are you saying words correspond to magic?¡± He asked quickly, the idea hardly leaving his mind.


    ¡°What do you think? I won¡¯t say any more on that,¡± she said, quickly grasping his hands as the man tripped over his own feet, falling back. Looking ahead at the lady, who laughed her heart out, he exhaled a deeper breath before finally trying to move somewhat.


    ¡°Hmm? Were you purposefully trying not to dance?¡± She asked with a tilted brow, but he didn¡¯t reply, moving briskly to the falling moonlight.


    Slowly, with a composed nature, they danced together, one acting to the other¡¯s motions. As his feet moved, she immediately replied, going there as well.


    When the girl moved, he followed, never leaving the lady¡¯s motion behind.


    ¡°What does it mean?¡± He asked, turning her around before she regained proper control. Suddenly, they walked to the left, each with decisive steps that wanted to take over the other.


    ¡°The word? Why do you want to know? Don¡¯t you hate us demons like the rest of humans?¡± She asked, taking her hands off his shoulder before a sharp nail dug through his tie and met with the wall of flesh. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite funny? The way you have no idea how many times we could have wiped your kind off the face of your continent?¡±


    Staring at the man with an enthralled gleam, Luviene asked threateningly.


    ¡°I do,¡± he said however, making the girl think twice with the stunned mien she put on. ¡°Ever since I learned about magic, it has plagued me. Despite these powers, you have never attacked us directly.¡± His words halted Luviene, who stared at him solemnly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re actually evil, which makes me want to understand your reasons for coming here in the first place. Because it¡¯s not to destroy humanity,¡± he said, quickly sinking in the resounding silence while she smiled promptly, muttering under her breath while looking down.


    ¡°Ahh, it seems like I made a good decision, huh?¡± She said secretively after glancing up. ¡°Did you come to the conclusion on your own?¡±


    ¡°Partially, but it would be a lot slower without Raeyine and Rudrik,¡± he exclaimed, making her sour in confusion once again.


    ¡°Rudrik? I was sure he wanted your heart to break apart, not nice you,¡± she mumbled quietly, however, he heard it all. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Calming the eyebrow that was wrinkling up, Lutiel quickly spoke up. ¡°He mentioned the guests are coming from a voyage.¡± Glancing outside to his right whilst the words flowed, his eyes caught the reflection of the ocean, peering at the large, ornate ship docked near the shore. One that could make travel for a few hundred comfortable.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± she said intermittently. ¡°Do you know?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± Nodding deftly at the words, Luviene didn¡¯t really ponder about it for too long. Instead, she once again put on the amorous smirk.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, then. No, I think it''s better if you know already. As for the word, what did you think when you first experienced its effects?¡±


    As the words rang out in his ears, he stood there silently, lessening his movements around the dance floor. However, not letting her sit in silence for too many moments, he breathed out a response.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t really describe it. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. My organs seemed as though they were about to twist inside my body before leaving it.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± she said, catching him somewhat by surprise. ¡°It¡¯s magic. Something you just can¡¯t describe when feeling it, yet everyone has a word of their own to categorize it. That¡¯s what meiar is.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he uttered meekly, letting his body be consumed by the motions. ¡®I was correct, it seems.¡¯ The man mused, staring at Luviene¡¯s eyes as their silhouettes continued to cling against one another.


    ¡°How long has it been since he made you understand it?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t,¡± Lutiel denied readily, giving her a singular shake of the head. ¡°I read from a note he gave me yesterday.¡±


    ¡°That works too, I guess,¡± her soft voice mingled to the graceful melodies played in the room, the instruments moving in the air out of free volition. ¡°It also explains why you¡¯re so disoriented.¡± Saying so, she began to tighten her grip around him.


    ¡°The energies flowing through you have increased incomparably, and since there are so many strong demons around here, it¡¯s seeping inside you unlike any day within the city,¡± she quickly concluded, to which his vision promptly darted around the room, catching the glances of a few curious demons. However, more importantly, he stared on top of their heads, at the double horns that prevailed through most of them, only a minority in the back possessing a single one.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking correctly,¡± she added quickly. ¡°Most of it comes from the table in the middle. It would be best if you stay around the edges of the room while Zyponia finishes her talks here.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he spoke silently. ¡°I will make sure she stays near my sight. Wait, are you going already?¡±

 40. In Trouble 1

    ¡°Hmm?¡± She raised an eyebrow, interest smitten along the face. ¡°Are you saying I would only be around you if I was here?¡± With the question going through him, she made the man stutter suddenly, flustered about the words.


    ¡°Eh? No, I-¡± Quickly, his voice cut off under her tongue.


    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t wrong.¡± Getting a piercing grin from the demon, the winds around them once again changed as they moved along the floor orderly, their time together finishing only when Luviene¡¯s face flinched up, turning behind her.


    Lutiel, similarly, looked somewhat shocked as he saw the purple-haired demon. Without a single word, Zyponia simply gestured to the girl, who turned back and left her dancing partner with a downhearted expression, swiftly moving away.


    Looking at the back escaping, he caught Zyponia, who stared at him for no more than a brief moment, only to follow the red-headed girl.


    Just like that, he stared at the two girls leaving him alone. And before he could even try to speak, a shackling grasp twisted around his chest, prickling away at his throat. No matter what he did, his lips stayed shut adamantly.


    ¡­


    Listening to her prior advice, Lutiel stood near the end of the ballroom, glancing at the lands beyond through one of the arched windows that also acted as doors to the balconies against the shore. Spectating through the light blue curtains, as well as the metallic grilles separating the window into multiple rectangles, the ship near the shabby platform caught his attention.


    Curving daintily along the shore, the ship anchored in the waters didn¡¯t wobble remotely at the waves crashing into it from behind. Regardless of any repeated attacks, it stood sturdy in its appearance, not fading away in the slightest.


    His eyes couldn¡¯t find a single imperfection perforating against the sleek, curved planks that made up the external walls of the ship. Despite the darkness approaching all around, he could still witness its true beauty, painted with a mix of red and golden that faded into each other from his lengthy distance.


    Its pale sails, rolled up for a resting period, glistened under the bright crystals at the top of the masts and its sides, illuminating the entirety of the ship, along with the waters around it.


    The lines connecting the sails and the masts couldn¡¯t sway in the calm wind, its tautness simply cutting through the wafts.


    Regardless how long his gaze hovered about, his eyes didn¡¯t seem to want to break their reflections apart. Stuck to the enticing ship, Lutiel left the thoughts to himself, pondering his earlier talks with the demon seamstress. Still, he couldn¡¯t keep them all from pouring out to the world.


    ¡®I guess even you can call something home, huh?¡¯ He mused as his eyes perked up slightly, glancing at the dark clouds beyond the horizon blending in with the ocean.


    Standing there, as though frozen in time, Lutiel didn¡¯t try to move away in the slightest. His eyes were kept on the waters, glancing constantly into the unknown. However, after tens of breaths left his nostrils, the slave eventually turned around, the entirety of the ballroom finally attaching itself within his pupils.


    Having situated himself near the left corner at the end of the room, a few steps away from the center and from where he danced with Luviene, he promptly started walking back. Without prolonging too much, the man quickly found the sole source of moonlight mellowing out under the crystallic light.


    Briskly, taking only a few glances before going on his way, Lutiel stared at the where the city would have been if not for the nightly shadows veiling the lands. Yet, seeing nothing other than the crescent gingerly disappearing from the face of the skies, he once again looked at the at the ballroom ahead of him.


    With a dim nature, the marbles reflected the chandeliers dully, overwhelmed by the shadows of the people inside. Fully in front of him, amidst the pairs of demons dancing with each other, the man saw more than ten backs facing him as they lingered near the center, where the largest table was set in place.


    Many unknown faces pronounced themselves to him, only two of the figures blaring with familiarity. As for the rest, despite their hidden fates, Lutiel could still tell their importance. Not overly dressed, they hadn¡¯t come to the place to party, it seemed to him. Rather, they looked uncomfortable wearing such loose attires.


    Especially the man, whose image beamed to gather attention. Towering over the rest with his eerily tall and brawny figure, much like Magon¡¯s, a scowl naturally rested atop his square-like head. Matching in with the eyes and horns, his black pupils reflected a simple gleam of the lights and nothing more.


    Glancing down at the table, his pale lips moved swiftly, but identically to the demons around the smaller tables, Lutiel could hear no word utter out into the space beyond their group. The only voices creeping along the expansive room came from those not included in the middle.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Nearly all of them wore two horns on their heads, except for a sole girl in the bunch, who possessed a singular one. However, they didn¡¯t treat her any less. Listening as she spoke, they exchanged words respectfully, unlike the racket he could hear moving near the doors.


    ¡®It must be someone very important,¡¯ mused Lutiel as he ingrained their gestures, along with the movement of their lips. Yet, before he could ponder any more about them, his sight broke apart out of nowhere. Looking in front of him, at the one that came into his sight, his head lowered itself slightly, taking a glance at the glasses filled with a sparkly fluid.


    Dressed in a simple, sleek suit of dark and white tones, the human stood next to the waiter, quickly glancing up to witness the cold, murky gray metal clinging around the man¡¯s neck.


    Somewhat perplexed, he stared at the slave, few of which made their way around the ballroom. Wherever they happened to be, however, Lutiel always witnessed their demonic master in the front, as if trying to show off their possession.


    Suddenly, the man¡¯s mouth began to open. ¡°Prie, taca arn,¡± he said, the meek, yellow skin around his face not moving a strand¡¯s breadth, the orange eyes of his glancing down instead of at the slave, no light bouncing off of them.


    Looking at his nearly dead expressions, he could see a few similarities to the human slaves, at least in the composure. However, other than that, nothing seemed to relate. The man looked as if he had been taken care of every day, his skin as smooth as a candle. Compared to the countless souvenirs of war entwined upon the human ones, the slave with no horns clearly stood out to him.


    Nonetheless, quickly forgetting the thoughts, Lutiel once again glanced at the glasses on the wooden tray. ¡®I guess he wants me to take one, huh?¡¯ He mused, staring silently for a few more moments while not responding in the slightest.


    Eventually, he grabbed one of them, prompting the demon slave to back off immediately, turning around and walking away, making sure to not come too close to the table in the middle.


    Glancing down at the cup for a few moments, he swirled it around, however, not a single muscle in his right arm engaged to take even the vaguest sip. Quickly taking his head back, he lingered around the space, holding onto the champagne while letting their bubbles float away into the air.


    ¡®At least the music is nice,¡¯ He thought to himself, glancing at the left wall of the ball, also filled with the curtained windows.


    Swiftly, he went over to the side, his eyes kept at the handle of one of the windows. The balcony beyond led to an overview of the large courtyard he had previously walked through with Zyponia. Witnessing the absence of any soul on the platform with stone railings, he grabbed onto the round handle, only to disappoint himself as no amount of strength could open the glass.


    Sighing internally, he once again turned around before lingering next to the left wall of arched windows, nothing greater for him to do in the place. Despite that, leaning on the walls in between the panes didn¡¯t seem to bring great light upon him.


    Under the odd looks he received from other dancers, on top of the demonic guests, before he even knew it, a figure flickered in the corner of his eyes, coming from the left side. Quickly moving his head to the side, he stared at the demon that clearly headed right for him.


    Moving off the wall, he stopped leaning on it, but still gave way for the guest to pass by. Yet, as the man started doing so, he halted himself before turning straight at him, making Lutiel¡¯s brows furrow.


    He quickly glanced up at the short, brown hair the man ruffled through with his black claws against the two dark brown horns, a dismissing attitude covering his cloudy red eyes. The leisurely demon pocketed his left hand before doing the same with the right, hunching his back slightly while gaping at the man.


    ¡°Hmm? Vic ges li dho involni un Zyponia, eh? Tis mesl ges tene yast bec e bisa einc voi,¡± the man said with lazy eyelids, but the marbles inside screamed something else altogether. Rapidly, Lutiel took a few glances to the side, seeing as all of the demons stopped speaking with each other, apparently no longer interested in the mundane task.


    Instead, all of them, except for the table in the middle, stared down at what was happening to Zyponia¡¯s slave.


    ¡°Tis li nuen,¡± he said, getting the slave¡¯s attention back with a delayed reaction. ¡°Kozs¡¯o bie ges misl ges li? Tis intomi vier art teca v e kelike involnia. Jun li e zero,¡± he snorted with laughter at the end before glancing at the glass in his right hand.


    ¡°Ges li stre, huh?¡± He asked under no speech coming from the man. The demon''s lips promptly churned up into a crooked smile. ¡°Inbie baj, tis¡¯e involnia tane maci arn pil¡¯yj,¡± he, the grin festering Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows even further.


    ¡®You couldn¡¯t have waited any longer, huh?¡¯ He thought whilst feeling the glass wriggle out of his control. Swiftly, without being able to move under his magic¡¯s ploys, the glass fell down to the marble flooring. Shattering rabidly, the shards splashed along with the alcohol, promptly getting all over the hems of his trousers, as well as the glossy shoes.


    Immediately, from the laid-back and grinning expression, he forced the anger out of his face like a thunder, changing too quickly for the human to understand.


    ¡°KOZS LI GES BIE¡¯YR!?¡± He screamed at the top of his lungs, glancing down at the legs of his trousers, the bottom all doused in champagne. While shaking his left leg off, all of the demons¡¯ sight gathered around them, the voice catching attention of the ones in the middle as well.


    Deftly turning around, the man¡¯s nose scrunched up as he started walking towards the table. The music halted immediately while the immured dancers also looked at the commotion, their sight swiftly following the movements of the angry noble.


    ¡°Zyponia! Pat kozs ges¡¯e involni bei!¡± He shouted through the space, directing his fingers at the purple-haired lady with a somewhat perplexed focus. However, glancing at the slightly shaking head of Lutiel, she sighed internally before stepping over to him.


    ¡°Kozs?¡± She asked, somewhat irritated, making the man explode even further as he stopped right before her, almost daring to dig his finger through her gown to prove his point.


    ¡°Kozs? Ges li zaipi¡¯yt kozs? Jun!¡± He bellowed, showing off his sullied attire, along with a few scratches on the surface of his glossy shoes. ¡°Ars ret e laeg ne tis¡¯e!¡± Agitated beyond belief, his irk poured out in the room, dissipating any conversations.

 41. In Trouble 2

    ¡°On kozs li tis rekomia kiz bei? Tis crav ges¡¯e tukza,¡± she said, but the man remained in his composure, screaming at the girl.


    ¡°Jun li inpiraj¡¯no!¡± He roared, on the verge of shattering the innards of his throat. ¡°Tis, Falen Kator, vyzov Zyponia un Afiern kiz e tika un dho involnia!¡± He said, making the crowd chatter up excitedly. However, the look around Zyponia only festered with anger.


    ¡®Damn it, will I have to kill somebody now?¡¯ Lutiel mused while his eyes scoured through the place, hopping from one demon to another, all whispering to the person near their side whilst peeping at the white-haired slave.


    His heart began to beat with slight chaos, panicked from the ploys played upon him. ¡®Should I have drunk it? No, he still would have dropped and shattered it. Haa,¡¯ sighing internally at whatever was happening in the distance, he promptly saw Zyponia waving a hand towards herself, inviting him to move.


    And, steeling himself, the man walked, despite the slight hesitancy filling out his steps.


    ¡°Li jun kozs arn choda kiz?¡± Suddenly, the demon that towered everyone in height began to walk, his figure wobbling from one side to another from the sheer size of the fleshy frame. ¡°Tis tane bic kiz vidinud dho tika,¡± his deep, harsh voice trailed throughout the entirety of the place, promptly continuing.


    ¡°Falen, vizen ges¡¯e involni. Zyponia, ges zibe,¡± he said, quickly recieving his answers.


    ¡°Hasye Icora, ars li tis¡¯e yedin involnia nuen,¡± the demon said, under which a rattle of chains could be heard, going all the way from the doors. With a size of two heads taller than Zyponia¡¯s slave, she gritted her teeth silently while glancing at the singular horn on top of his head full of scales.


    ¡°Li ges junt eznad? Elie ausapre un roche silva?¡± She asked, turning at the man with hazy red eyes, however, he simply continued to act angry. Though, the slight curve around his lips began to show slowly.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel had already arrived near the three demons, one of which was his master. Glancing at her under the racket of their tongue, he quickly looked at the single-horned demon coming their way, a long chain fluttering along his back against the floor as his collar was connected to it.


    ¡°Zyponia?¡± The tall demon asked, awaiting her answers.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned annoyingly. ¡°Kanthier un Yaras,¡± she said while nearly all the eyes fell upon her slave, who stood near her, looking around with soiled serenity.


    Despite whispering to themselves quietly, his ears roared with uncertainty, not knowing what exactly he was hearing. However, suddenly, the scraping of the hard floor cut off the consternation, grasping all of his attention.


    Coming through the suddenly opened doors, a wooden rack full of identical pairs of weapons began being pulled towards them, by a certain man with light blue hair. Genor walked through the doors, a smile prominently beaming on his face, as though he had been awaiting this moment from the very beginning.


    Closing vehemently after his approach, the doors slammed shut while he welcomed himself into the party. ¡°Oh, pat ne art! Inli ges¡¯e mali faci vic lidne, Zyponia?¡± He asked under a grin, pulling the rack all the way to the participants, who already faced one another, a few tens of steps separating them.


    Making up a semi-circle, the demonic guests came closer to witness the battle in all of its glory, as close as possible, yet not to the point of limiting their space.


    Standing next to the man that almost doubled his size, the demon lord leaned onto the rack filled with weapons, presenting them to the slaves.


    ¡°Nuen, yast e vybir,¡± he spoke to the slaves while an undisclosed Zyponia clenched her fists, however, she didn¡¯t do anything to stop the two from battling.


    Quickly, Hasye began walking over to the rack, prompting a reaction in the human slave. ¡®Should I take the spear? I know the moves, but will my body follow? Damn it, I have no idea,¡¯ while his mind churned and furrowed, the slave with a single horn and black scales all around his head already chose, picking one of the two longswords.


    ¡°Kanthier, vybir,¡± suddenly, the brawny man turned towards the human slave, his words repeating stridently inside his ears. Clenching his jaw, however, Lutiel took a decisive step to the side, stopping a foot away from the rack before grasping the weapon of his choice.


    Under the puzzled look of his master, he walked back to his previous position, a long spear in the slave¡¯s right hand.


    ¡®This is my only option.¡¯ He pondered while glancing at the slave¡¯s blue eyes. ¡®Will they let me win if I just knock him out?¡¯ Already thinking of the future, he lowered his stance slightly, grasping the long, wooden handle of the spear with both hands.


    Meanwhile, shimmering against the light above, the cold, gray metal spanning across Hasye¡¯s blade glistened with its cusp put against Lutiel. Threateningly sharp, the crystals from chandeliers reflected off the longsword¡¯s tip with a shining sprawl.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Nonetheless, despite the clouded thoughts roaming around his head, the human hadn¡¯t taken his gaze away from his opponent, whose advantages were clear. ¡®What is this feeling?¡¯ He wondered while seeing the slave take on a deeper stance, under the gleam of the demons¡¯ voice and anticipating applause.


    ¡®It¡¯s the same as whenever I faced Raphael,¡¯ he mused rapidly, flickering images kept at the back of his mind. ¡®Can I really not defeat him?¡¯


    However, he could no longer ponder on the matter, a trampling presence lurching at him with flabbergasting deftness. Despite his stout build, the horned slave closed their distance with a few concise, but harsh steps.


    The sword in his grasp followed him from behind, the suit around his right arm beginning to rend as he tightened the flesh. Swiftly, standing a few steps away from Zyponia¡¯s slave, the man began to swing his way. However, peering at the sight with strange eyes, Lutiel promptly moved towards him.


    The handle in his hands dangled momentarily before straightening itself out briskly, the sharp head atop stopping the sword in its approach. Attacking with raw power, the demonic slave quickly arrived near Lutiel, his eyes twitching as a wall appeared in front of him.


    Holding the blade still, Lutiel¡¯s arms convulsed underneath the pressure, his legs waning ominously. However, with an unrelenting step, he clenched his jaw and arms, pushing even harder against the sword.


    Skimming through the surface, he pried away the weapon while his opponent¡¯s arm briskly flung to the side, opening himself to the man.


    Quickly, with his eyes solemnly staring at the dark jacket, he retreated his spear before springing back at the shoulder. The demons stopped chanting their cheers as they looked at the spectacle. The weapon flying swiftly through the space, he easily cut through the attire.


    Yet, once again clasping their excitement, they watched as black scales revealed themselves. No blood poured out from the attack, the human¡¯s brows somewhat furrowing at the situation. Still, he recollected himself timely, jumping a few steps back before the sword clanged against the marble floor, faint cracks spreading from the fervent force.


    Simultaneously, the slave replied, staggering forward with his spear equipped. Cutting through the room¡¯s thrilling air, the blade advanced rapidly, however, just like before, in the same place, he could do nothing against the tough scales.


    ¡®Damn it! It¡¯s like hitting rocks,¡¯ he mused before once again collecting himself. Swinging up from the floor, Hasye dared to cut up his enemy, but the attempt turned futile. Looking at the small, slippery slave right in front of him, he grit his teeth before clenching the sword¡¯s with both hands.


    Rushing forward, he tried to mutilate Lutiel¡¯s range, following with a ferocious slash to the side, free of any skill. Slicing the air up with nothing but pure force, Lutiel leisurely maneuvered through the space, circling around him as his head tinkered.


    ¡®Weird. Despite the lacking movements I produce, the glyph isn¡¯t even itching. Yet, it wants to light up a single streak. How come the sword was so different?¡¯ He thought, quickly halting whilst abruptly moving to the left and dodging a sword strike.


    His arms rushed in, raising the spear upwards before thunderously slashing down at the black scales, only for his hands to reverberate instead. ¡®Again, damn it.¡¯ He mused, glaring at the man straightening his back. Staring at the glossy scales around his face, placed against one another with no slits between any of them, he suddenly started running towards him, despite the sword readying itself to slash down.


    The eyes of the spectators glanced reinvigorated while Zyponia¡¯s flinched momentarily, her brows staggering at the sight. Despite that, she didn¡¯t back away in the slightest, observing as Lutiel rushed into the strife out of his volition.


    Quickly, right as the sword was about to cleave him in half, a breath away from eternal slumber, he stopped moving. Feeling the nippy wafts brush his body as the sword fell upon the space, the guests stared in silence, watching as the weapon missed the slave by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    Another whine of the metal came about while Lutiel moved his arms in response. With a keen eye, his spear reappeared next to the burly slave, grazing the neck above his collar, to be precise.


    Cocking his head back instantly, the demon staggered through the space, his footing wavering. Moving to the right before slashing back at him immediately, the blade fell upon the side of his neck, nothing ever coming out through the tough defenses.


    Overpowered by the repeating forces, the slave tilted to the side, falling vehemently to the hard floor. His sword rang countless times while wobbling, however, before long, he once again grasped it. Lutiel wasn¡¯t even able to come close before he had already crawled away, nimbly standing up under the sight of nearby demons.


    With attrition, their gazes met, one after another walking with steady, vigilant steps. Watching closely their opponent, none of the voices around came into their heads, both focused immensely upon the duel.


    Unlike before, the duo darted at their opponent at the same time, both activating their weapons, attacking the slave in front of them. Quickly, under the scattering chant of metal, they stopped the other. Clenching their jaws, Lutiel suddenly gained advantage, caving in the man¡¯s grip, only for his foe to repeat the same actions.


    Going back and forth, suddenly, Lutiel thrust to the side, swaying the demon¡¯s stance. Veering inside, he propelled his spear at the man¡¯s chest. However, right as the blade started to dig through the fabric of the suit, his purple eyes widened. No matter how hard he pulled the spear away, the grip of his hand around the blade never lessened.


    Ripping apart through his white gloves, red smears tainted the material, but it didn¡¯t matter. With a rabid glare, Hasye pulled the spear, Lutiel dropping it a moment before his body would be sent flying. Almost immediately as the demon pulled his left arm, the weapon slipped out and flew through the space before coming to an abrupt stop, Zyponia stretching out her hand before it could pierce through her heart.


    Dropping down to the floor, however, she simply left the weapon there, not helping her slave in the slightest.


    ¡®I hope it¡¯s just a rule,¡¯ with a fleeting thought, Lutiel quickly focused his head on the approaching tower of shielded flesh. With a swift run to the right, he dodged the incoming sword before it could split him from the head in half. Regardless, making his brows crease up, the demonic slave followed each of the man¡¯s steps, as though the prior falter amounted to a measly nothing.


    A slash to the side came right after, one the human could only duck to evade. Yet, suddenly changing directions, the sword threatened to behead him.

 42. Surprise

    Impetuously, Lutiel rolled away from the sword''s trajectory, feeling the faint chunks of marble hit against his hair. Rapidly, he raised his body up, scouring the eyes around to witness the surroundings. Once again, like a rampant beast, the slave was already moving at him, to which Lutiel could only grit his teeth away before evading to the side.


    Still, when he did, as though the slave had been deliberately hiding his skills with the cold steel, the sword fell before flying to the side, nicking onto the man¡¯s thigh.  A warm liquid immediately escaped through the ripped attire.


    Although gritting his teeth harder than ever, he continued the run. But, of course, the slave wouldn¡¯t let him off so freely. Following the man with succinct steps, he began to descend his sword at him for yet another time.


    Though, having focused upon the strike, the demon failed to witness the clarity around Lutiel¡¯s eyes. With a swift, vim step to the side the moment his sword came ever closer, the human placed his right foot firmly around the marble, promptly raising the left leg before shrouding Hasye¡¯s vision with the glossy surface of his boot.


    Raising his left leg up, he immediately brought it back down, kicking at the gloved hands. The sword fell away to the floor whilst Lutiel already moved his right foot, knocking the sleek blade away into the distance.


    Stopping a few tens of steps away, right before the legs of the guests, Hasye had already stepped away from him, raising his fists up at the situation. The shorter slave following in his actions, the two stared down the other, circling around themselves patiently before both came closer to their respective weapons.


    Once again, Lutiel took on a stance with his spear, the demonic slave did the same, however, his back stood erect, with both of his hands gripping the hilt of the cold blade.


    They stood still against the passage of time, their breaths exposing themselves upon the immured silence all around. Glancing into the depths of each other, Lutiel saw the muscles of the man move suddenly, yet, in a matter of a flash, his eyes disappeared from him.


    For the longest breath, silence prevailed as he looked ahead at the flickering lights spinning around him. With a thud, a sudden aching spread throughout his body, his lungs halting themselves, desperately gaping for some air.


    Sliding across the strident floor, his closed eyelids convulsed repeatedly, his mind striving for answers under the grinding screeching that the ears constantly rang out. ¡®What the hell happened?¡¯ He asked himself whilst coughing up through the turmoil.


    Screams veiled themselves under the ringing, begging to be heard in the distance, yet, he had barely just opened his mouth, the chest heaving up tremendously from the sudden intake of air.


    Finally, his eyelids gave way, glancing ahead at the world beyond him. Foggy to the point of fully obstructing his vision, he mused. Through the haziness, the only things he could witness were the faint lights all around him. Next to his body, as well as in the distance, the light yellow light pervaded through the whiteness.


    Yet, feeling the aridity of his skin and nudging his arms ever so slightly, he could only describe the fog as a pall of dust.


    ¡®Ugh,¡¯ Lutiel groaned internally, trying to slowly raise his body through the mess. Immediately, a sprawling headache hacked into him, however, continuing to push, the man finally raised himself to the knees. Steadily, he worked his way up to stand on his feet firmly, despite the constant wobbles he encountered right after.


    From faint whispers, the voices began to linger more and more, getting progressively distinct each breath more he exhaled. Turning around, he glanced down at the floor beside him, his eyes widening as he saw the stone chunks of all sizes scattered around, entwined with bits and pieces of glass and metal.


    ¡°....Ooooov,¡± a certain voice spread out in the distance, however, he couldn¡¯t tell what it was in the slightest. Continuing to look around, soon, he saw the spear he had used in the previous battle. Or rather, the remnants of it. Splintered around the top, the weapon had been shortened by more than half.


    Regardless, moving down to grasp it, the voices once again repeated themselves. ¡°Moooooov!¡±


    Then, as if the gears inside him clicked and started to turn around once again, the ringing stopped momentarily, along with the hazy vision.


    Quickly, he grasped the spear before raising himself up, glancing all around the destroyed ballroom. ¡°MOOOOOVEEEEEE!¡± A certain voice added on top of the cadence of footsteps. Instantly, Lutiel¡¯s head darted to the source of the noise, only to see the shadowy figures scattering out through the maze of grayish dust.


    ¡®Humans?¡¯ He doubted himself, certainly having heard a sound familiar to him. Swiftly, as though to confirm his worries, his eyes widened as another few words entered his ears.


    ¡°Quickly! Kill all of them! Don¡¯t leave anyone alive!¡± The voice scattered through the place while rushed movements revealed themselves through the dust that the winds had brought out into the world beyond.


    Armed from head down to the toes, the leather armors they wore bent underneath the stress, a plethora of the soldiers rushing in from the ropes hung along the ruptured facade of the mansion.


    They screamed vehemently, each grating their own throats from sheer intensity. However, equipped with shining blades, all the attackers cared about were the figures in the distance that hesitantly raised themselves from the rubble. Under Lutiel¡¯s stagger, the humans ran at the felled demons.


    The ones already broken apart, with their limbs twisted beyond recognition and faces unrecoverable, were run through immediately. A spurt of crimson swiftly tainted the floors, readily absorbed by the lingering, fine powder.


    Raising the visibly deceased demons, Lutiel¡¯s eyes lingered on their cold blades. Without the slightest tint of doubt, with a rabid look around their helmeted faces, they dug through the flesh, letting their sword guzzle on the warm blood streaking down the pale necks.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    The man didn¡¯t turn his head away, watching on as heads began to roll, stopping whenever a large piece of debris blocked their path. With horror-stricken eyes widened wholly, blood swiftly trickled down the dirty floor, any remnants of the scarlet fluid draining off with each breath the slave took.


    His gaze scoured through the place, swiftly arriving at a familiar face. Hasye, the one he had been facing, looked around while clutching upon his head, utter confusion taking over the man. Unfortunately, before he could even hear the steps and shouts, he fell down to his stomach after an attack from behind.


    Five humans came over at him. Despite turning around, he couldn¡¯t do anything in the face of their dominance. Desperately wriggling about, his limbs were apprehended by the assailants, a single one standing behind his head and staring down at the demonic slave with cold eyes. Raising his foot, instantly, he stamped down with all of his strength.


    Yet, seeing as nothing came about from the step, he slammed down once again, only for the slave to squirm in pain, raising his voice increasingly with each attack. Treading through the scaly face, soon, the metallic shoe glistened bright red, muffling out the voice slowly, but surely.


    The nose had already become flattened and the whole face caved in visibly, the blood forming a puddle inside that slowly drowned its holder. Continuingly, the blood splashed ever more as the human hammered down with his foot, only stopping when the slave halted his wriggles.


    Looking at the scenes with widened eyes, Lutiel finally saw the warriors step closer towards him. Quickly taking his sight away from the flickering, obstructed horizon, he clenched his jaw after seeing the soldiers raise their weapons right at him. Five of them stood through the space, ordered to deal with him.


    ¡®Wait!¡¯ He wanted to scream at them, however, he quickly grit his teeth from the sensation near his chest. ¡®I¡¯m a human!¡¯ He raised his voice, once again omitted by the brand. With a haggard breath, he quickly clutched the area near his wildly beating heart, regardless, it halted none of the humans.


    Standing loosely about, with his spear hovering freely in his right hand, Lutiel watched as one of the humans rushed straight at him, the short sword in his possession coming down just as he came a few steps away.


    Quickly, Lutiel jumped to the side, protesting with his hands. Rocking the arms to the sides, he begged them to stop, but none of the humans dared to listen. Especially the one that already started running at him. The rest simply watched as the soldier tried to finish the demonic slave, grins resting upon their faces seeing as their mate got increasingly frustrated each time the enemy evaded his attacks successfully.


    Finally, after tens of attempts, a single one fell true, nicking on Lutiel¡¯s left shoulder. Staggering through the scattered bricks on the floor, he promptly fell down, his teeth gnashed. Ravaging through his chest, the heart pumped vigorously whilst the breathing stormed pantingly.


    With exhausted eyelids, Lutiel slowly pulled himself along the floor, watching as the man came ever closer. Just a step away, the human stopped, peering casually at the slave while a sword rested along his shoulders.


    So, the fallen man quickly used his chances. With a thumb, he pointed to himself a few times before quickly doing the same at the human. However, unlike his wishes, Lutiel¡¯s brows plummeted as the soldier¡¯s brown eyes filled themselves with derision.


    ¡°Me? The same as you?¡± He asked sneeringly, fiery contempt boiling across his face as the blade started to move forward. ¡°Don¡¯t make me furious. You¡¯re just a demon slave, nothing else. I will at least save you from a painful death,¡± he said, underneath the defying shakes Lutiel¡¯s head produced.


    With a swift slash, the sword came rushing down at the floor, only to bounce back as the slave had rolled to the side quick enough. Clicking his tongue, he no longer cared that Lutiel raised himself up to stand, turning his head around at the jeers from the back.


    ¡°Help me out, you damn pricks,¡± he uttered, not needing to add any spare words. Quickly, the four resting began to rush at the same enemy, who simply stared at them, astonishment entwined within the eyes.


    ¡®Why are you not listening? I¡¯m the same as you? Ahh,¡¯ he whined internally as the soldiers had already closed off their distance. However, it was simply because just like his cords, the body stopped listening any longer.


    ¡®NOOOOO!¡¯ He roared in the depths of his spirit, glancing at the pierced face of the human right in front of him. Protruding from the back of the soldier¡¯s skull, the metallic spearhead made the rest of his companions flinch away before gripping their swords tighter.


    ¡°You fucking swine! I¡¯ll slaughter you!¡± One of the humans rushed in rage whilst the slave stood still, pondering his actions. ¡®No, no, that wasn¡¯t me, no,¡¯ he repeated through the mind, only glancing at the last second as the human attacker came at him, yet his body was already in motion.


    Flowing to the side, he omitted the slash in a facile manner, only to cut through the space with his own weapon, widening his eyes as the blood plashed the face.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not me,¡¯ he muttered with a defeated tone, but the expression around his face gave off the opposite. No emotion took hold of him anymore, the bleak eyes dimmed out from the lack of any light. Without waiting any turn, he rushed in at the rest of the humans.


    Two of them were already there, their weapons raised with enraged fright fuelling the faces. Yet, he easily dodged one of them, moving to the right before blocking out the other assault with his spear. A firm thrust to the side swayed one off his stance, and with a deft motion inwards, Lutiel already cut through the man¡¯s face, leaving a deep gash from the top of his forehead down to the chin.


    Staggering back while dropping the sword, grasping onto his face before screaming, the soldier promptly gargled as a metallic spear pervaded through his throat. Still, swiftly taking back the weapon, Lutiel shielded a sudden attack before disrupting the soldier¡¯s heart.


    Despite the screamings happening inside of him, he couldn¡¯t utter a single word, staring coldly at the last human up front. Falling down, the sword bounced a few times while the warrior shivered at his sight, the eyes quivering as he stared around at his dead group.


    A crimson shade took over the space around them as the hearts cried out their last melody to the world, the slave in the middle of the four quiet tunes.


    Nonetheless, not glancing at the shivers, he quickly moved forward while dropping the spear and taking one of the identical, five shortswords. Within a few steps, he was already near the last man, his body flowing continuously.


    With a dainty wave of the arm, the blade whistled from his motion. Swiftly, he had appeared beyond the human, the head rolling down his back before the body followed its approach.


    The man responsible didn¡¯t stop for the vaguest breath, going on about the moment while looking to the sides. Left alone, no soldier climbed down from the ropes any longer, all focused at the horizon, where a battle his sight couldn¡¯t handle took place.


    Something there caused his eyes to linger on the area. Despite being unable to grasp its full clarity, gazing through the blurry picture, lights flickered constantly through the whole space. However, as much as he wanted to continue looking, when the lights started getting brighter and brighter, the man could only hug the ground right in front of him, his sight twisting away with fearsome ardour.


    ¡®I didn''t, do it¡­¡¯


    ¡­

 43. A Guilty Boy

    A dark expanse covered the cusp of the face, falling gracefully along the ears. Waving ever so slightly, the hair rested calmly, unmoving through the space. Paleness twirled through the loose eyes, dark blue and void of light, peering right through the sphere of the living down to the grasp beyond. Smeared red around its lips, the tainted face breathed raggedly, trying to catch fresh air before coughing up. More of the liquid flew out however, a deepened shade had overtaken the blood, barely on the verge of turning black.


    ¡°Haa, haa, Lutiel,¡± the face called out, desperately begging for the boy with her soft, yet roughened voice. ¡°Do you see what they did with me? Argh!¡± Once again, blood escaped the lips, but fully black instead. ¡°B- but, don¡¯t blame yourself. You did the right thing. Just, please.¡± The voice, turning bleaker and bleaker, started to lack the strength to even speak out the words. ¡°... member, me. Please. Goodnight, Lutiel, may your dreams be the sweetest.¡± It stopped, all of a sudden, the voice no longer lingered through the air, halting completely as the eyes died out.


    The boy¡¯s chest collapsed as he rang for the wind, gasping loudly beyond the nightly world he had witnessed right before. His lips parted quickly amid a somber tone. ¡°Ahh! Ahh! No!¡± He screamed to the gales, reverberating in the skies and stopping right before the fair clouds.


    Right as his tongue quivered, the eyes widened up to their verge while he raised his body briskly, veiled by the shadow of the tree he sat under. With rapid intensity, his sight swept through the lands he found himself in, the ragged chest falling restful soon after. Staring ahead of him, the dancing grass moved the strings inside, illuminated through the motherly embrace shining down at the wavy hills.


    ¡°That dream again?¡± A petulant voice asked, moping about and making the boy turn to his right, the indigo eyes lighting up. Reflected through the pupils, the little girl perked up in his eyes, sharing the delicate blanket he napped on just a few breaths prior.


    Enlightened by the sun while sitting on the edge of the shadow, her golden, undulating hairs glistened beautifully. Enthralling the boy, his eyes battled harshly to get away from her image, failing miserably in doing so. Still, forcefully taking his vision from there, the boy flinched down instead, looking at the soft dress she was wearing.


    Matching with the hairs, faint frills scattered down the sides and around, creating a sparse contrast compared to the one next to her. Wearing an attrited shirt and trousers, made from the same, pale brown material, the scene almost depicted a royal sitting next to a peasant.


    However, for as long as he upheld the staring, the boy immediately veered off once her deep, lapis eyes met his, quickly angling his head low at the checkered blanket they were calmly sitting on.


    Swiftly, he caught onto the lengthy staff sprawled out next to her legs. At the very top, shining mellowy, a clear gem fit snugly in the wooden, engraved frame. With its sapphire-like shape and tones, it matched the darker shades of the ornate stick. Always ready for the girl¡¯s grasp, the staff perfectly adorned her person.


    Seeing the weapon near her, the boy quickly glanced down around his sides, soon taking hold of something starkly different. Looking quite shabby, with splinters throughout the handle that began to hold memories of the countless drops of sweat he poured out, the spear no longer seemed adequate for any battle. The head at the top, chipped along the edges and the tip, had long since lost its proper shine, a dull embrace taking over through the tens of scratches and smudges along the gray metal.


    ¡°Yes, that one,¡± he finally replied, drooping his eyebrows to barely witness the eyes. Silence met the two of them, the little girl¡¯s troubled expression glancing at the boy, no speech able to be uttered for the current breath. Sharing the composure he faced, she repeated the look around him, though only with the mood. Dropping her shoulders, she looked at him defeated.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the girl spoke softly, almost silenced despite the gentle gusts. ¡°If not for the priests, I would have cleared it already,¡± her tongue beat herself as she uttered the words, a sullen glow surrounding her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry,¡¯ the boy spoke once again, clearing the dull looks with a spry motion. ¡°The priests are right, you shouldn¡¯t waste your powers,¡± he added promptly, but it only created an irked flurry around her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste!¡± She raised her voice slightly while glaring at the boy. Deeply radiating within him, he instantly stopped any of his movements, staring at her in a docile manner. ¡°What¡¯s the point of having this power if I can¡¯t use it for those that need it?¡± Through clenched fists, she crumbled tightly the cushion below her, asking a pointless question. Only a rustle of the leaves above answered her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied as a large cloud began to cover the rays. ¡°But, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡± he added briskly, making the girl slowly raise her head and look up at him.


    ¡°What is?¡± She pondered, lifting the slumped shoulders slightly. However, the airs around her weren¡¯t exuberant in the slightest.


    ¡°You know, that the priests keep you so restrained,¡± he said with furrowed eyebrows. Her eyes flinching as his words tumbled around the ears, she kept mum at the following statement. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything without their surveillance.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you were talking about that,¡± she muttered, lowering her head once again. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about that.¡± The girl said, with eyes that barely looked at what lay ahead.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± The voice scattered through the hills while the light finally shone through the clouds, a clear sky escaping their shackles. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, whether you think otherwise,¡± she said meekly before her eyes briskly looked up, a sudden wriggle of the blanket engaging her.


    With puzzlement entwined, her eyes stared at the boy raising himself from the space, the hands quickly firming up into tight fists. Squishing her brows together at the energetic person next to her, she soon raised one of them.


    The boy stood proudly against the sincere winds, gnashing his brows before his lips parted. ¡°Then, if you can¡¯t, I will tell them myself!¡± A shout reverberated through the lands while he scooped down to his left. With eagerness, the spear that was taller than him lay securely in his hands, making the wooden handle creak under his clasp.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°What are you thinking about all of a sudden?¡± She asked, raising the eyebrow even higher .¡±Weren¡¯t you still asleep a few minutes ago?¡± Alas, her words weren¡¯t much to persuade him.


    Listening to the words, he momentarily glanced to the side before quickly stepping out of the blanket and walking along the grass. With a vehement strike, he raised the spear, just barely missing the vast expanse of branches above. ¡°The world waits for no one!¡± He shouted through the space whilst beginning to move downwards. ¡°So, I will train enough for the priests to acknowledge me! I will help you, Sheila!¡± He added near the end, making the girl exhale through the nose, on the verge of giggling.


    With a soft smile, she shook her head while glancing at the spear that hailed down whilst cutting through the air. ¡°You¡­¡± she spoke with eyes plastered all over the boy as she continuously swung his weapon. ¡°You really are an obstinate one, huh?¡±


    With a soft sigh escaping her breath, she promptly grabbed upon the staff near her, raising herself from the blanket before running up to the boy. A step away, she watched as the sweat trickled down the sides of his face and along the bridge of his nose, observing as the man trained uninterrupted.


    She simply kept standing there, letting the clouds pass by in the meanwhile. Yet, as a large cloud once again floated through the sky, omitting the shine from above, the happy face of hers hesitated, uttering. ¡°Why?¡± She asked through shaky lips.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He asked with doubts, creasing his eyebrows together as the shades fell away. Darkening by the second, he saw the murky clouds, illuminated by no more than a sparse few stars. Yet, somehow, the flat scape all around took on a crimson hue. With a doubtful mind, he swiftly swept his gaze across the space whilst halting the chanting of his spear.


    Immediately, his eyes quivered incessantly. Mutilated bodies lay across the lands, metal speared through the reddened mud. Around the soil, an unending layer of hands and feet lay, severed by varied means. Some extended with the arms and legs, others simply cut away or ripped apart by the wrists and ankles. Digging through the mud, the lifeless body parts jumbled up to small piles, a floor of flesh made up by them.


    His heart shook at the sight, only ever increasing the beats once the man started witnessing the heads, greased with blood around their faces. Yet, despite their state, all started to glare at the man, with increasing passion every halted breath he took. ¡°Why?¡± Once again, the voice resounded in his ears, making him stagger through the place. However, something stopped him. His own hands gripped upon the tightly fitted handle, one which hooked onto something.


    Finally, he saw the one in front of him. Her golden hairs seemed to have brightened up, while her features became more pronounced than before. Clearly, she had aged quite a lot, just like him. Unable to speak as he saw her, his mind churned when the smiling, bloodied lips began to part.


    ¡°Why did you kill me?¡± She asked, through the faint droplet of blood pooling out from the mouth. Dripping along her lips, the smile around them promptly receded as the girl¡¯s blue eyes began to falter harshly, the eyelids convulsing. Swiftly, the girl looked down at the wound she had received, from the very man before her.


    Trembling all across, her sleek, pale arm traced down to the stomach. Immediately, it painted itself entirely in red. Seeing it all, the man couldn¡¯t speak, at least properly.


    ¡°Ah, ah, n-no, I-¡± clustered up, his tongue stuttered completely. However, despite his mutterings, his voice was overwritten by the clear voice from the front.


    ¡°You killed me, Lutiel. Why?¡± Her words once again trailed in his ears, making the pupils shake without halting.


    Quickly, with strengthless arms, he dropped the grip around the handle, falling to his knees before clutching the top of his head, trying to hide from the girl. ¡°No, please, believe me, it wasn¡¯t me! I-I, I didn¡¯t do it. I didn¡¯t kill you, please,¡± his voice stumbled, breaking down by the end as the throat glued itself together.


    However, suddenly, while a tear threatened to drop down his cheek, he stopped. A voice from the right took his focus. ¡°Why did you kill us?¡± With a soft tone, the voice traveled nippily to his ears, making him turn around.


    The girl stood in her armor, shorter than usual from the lack of her calves. Still, despite the cut legs, she walked through the mud towards him, her body lacking any real features, as though she had just been submerged into a sea of fire and melted.


    ¡°Why? Did it feel good?¡± Another voice grasped him, firmer to the prior one. Turning behind, Lutiel stared at the large body. Similar to the girl, all of it had become burnt, however, the man stood barely. Ripped apart in countless areas, the parts came together to form him, but they didn¡¯t hold firmly.


    Once again, before he could take a truly good look at the man, another prompted him to move to the side. ¡°Did you have to send us there?¡± She asked, sparse green strands remaining on top of her melted head, nothing else making her figure stand out.


    Then, finally, he heard the voice that made him stagger for a few breaths, not moving towards it despite hearing him. ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± Raphael¡¯s voice headed for him, Lutiel¡¯s eyes shaking vehemently. However, before long, despite not moving there at all, he saw the man right in front of him.


    His head lacked its usual features, the eyelids melted over the sockets. The nose, as well as the lips, behaved in the same manner, the skin having melted to leave a blank face. On top of the head, the platinum hairs no longer flowed with dignity, all burned away through a fire.


    ¡°Why did you kill me, Lutiel?¡± The previous sword hero asked whilst blood started to incessantly pour out from the gaping hole in the middle of his chest, no heart ever beating there.


    ¡°Why?¡± A voice sprung up from the back, simultaneously. Immuring the man in place, he could no longer look at the world before him, the shine around his eyes disappearing as the maimed face of the woman showed itself before him, only the head ever showing, the rest of the body stood with a dark cloak.


    ¡°M-mom, no, I didn¡¯t do it, I swear,¡± he muttered silently, the voices unable to hear him. The only ever came closer with their disfigured bodies, chanting away at his ears like the bells of a church.


    ¡°Why? Why did you kill us? Do you feel better?¡± They asked, just a step away from the hiding man. ¡°Lutiel, why do you like to kill so much? Why did you kill us?¡± Repeating through the dark clouds, he could no longer see anything, one of the arms crawling up on his body ripping the eyes out.


    ¡°No, please, believe me, ah, ah, it hurts,¡± he wailed through the painful moans, feeling as the claws ripped his flesh apart. Slowly, they picked upon his body, to no end.


    ¡°Lutiel, why did you kill us? Why?¡± The voices screeched through his ears, which were no longer there. ¡°Why? Tell us, why?¡±


    ¡°No, n-no, I didn¡¯t-¡± his mouth repeated the same words, however, before long, he couldn¡¯t speak anymore, the red tongue ripped apart along with the vocal cords.


    ¡°Why? Why? Why?¡± They asked, increasing in anger each time he didn¡¯t respond, but the only thing that still spoke of the man was the sole, beating heart, muddied in the soil beneath.


    With an urgent call, the eyes opened up, staring ahead of them while the breath muttered raggedly. His chest caved in and raised itself out, the thumping within vigorous. Glistening under the dim source somewhere in the distance, a droplet of sweat trickled down his face, grazing the earlobe before letting off onto the bed.


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯ He asked himself, pondering as the eyes caught the ceiling ahead of him, seemingly made from bloody, loose cloths entwined against each other.

 44. Awake

    His vision rolled about the place speedily, only to look at the sheer fabric making up the curtains that covered the bed, matching with the shades of the bed¡¯s ceiling. Before long, an answer already surfaced through the muddle as he felt his snuggled underneath the duvet body.


    ¡®Why am I in her room?¡¯ A new question replaced the prior, alas, he made no efforts to clear it, his face remaining idle for a few breaths while the chest started to soothe out. With every moment that had passed, the man lying inside the bed heard the beating of his heart abate, all the way until he could no longer differentiate any of the rhythm.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned with an almost elusive tone. At the same time, his face began to churn under the sensations. ¡°Argh,¡± the pained moans trailed off once again, however, with a steady pace and grimacing eyebrows, the shoulders flinched. The muscle fibers visible through the skin started to move, painstakingly gentle.


    With a measured cadence, he pushed regardless of the miens his face put out during the actions. Lacking any adroitness around the hands, he still grabbed on the cloth, pulling it away before revealing his bare torso. But, his actions were promptly reverted once his teeth started to chatter, the body shivering right after.


    ¡®Where are my clothes?¡¯ His gaze meandered throughout the vast bedroom, with nothing but futile results. The vision had been limited due to his weak movements, and the curtains around the bed didn¡¯t help him in the slightest. With a vague sigh, Lutiel simply plopped his head back down on the light pillow behind him.


    However, his head started to follow around the room within a few breaths, his senses flinching under the faint creaks crawling out from the distance.


    Looking to his left, one of the double doors moved inwards before a certain figure moved through. With one of her plenty dresses, she donned a fabric blending in with his eyes. Walking along the room with a wooden bowl in her hands, she suddenly halted herself before briskly watching the man that kept observing her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve woken up already?¡± Zyponia asked softly, through a practically whispering tone.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he replied briskly as their eyes met, the girl resuming her walk towards him not a second after.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She followed while the man saw her approaching ever closer, building questions inside his mind. ¡®Is she coming over to eat right beside me? Why?¡¯ He pondered, somewhat confused by her actions.


    ¡°A bit weak, my lady, but I¡¯m fine otherwi-¡± he almost finished speaking before his tongue froze over, feeling the soft graze of her hand on his forehead. Countless thoughts flashed past his mind, however, hearing her almost intangible words, the mind promptly cleared up.


    ¡°Your fever has gone down, at last,¡± she muttered calmly before taking the right hand off his face. ¡°But we still have to give you the medicine,¡± the lord added right after, omitting his furrowed eyebrows.


    ¡®Medicine?¡¯ He wondered, right before his eyes witnessed the pasteish, light green substance in which a wooden spoon found itself. ¡°My lady, can I ask what this is? No, actually, what happened to me?¡±


    Staring at him with a plain face, Zyponia seemed to be stuck wondering about the answer. However, not long after, she moved away from the bed slightly, adding to his puzzlement. He tilted his head slightly, swiftly seeing her move a chair from the side all the way to the edge of the bed.


    Sitting calmly in her dress, with crossed legs, the girl rested the bowl on her lap before gazing at him. ¡°Do you remember anything about that night?¡± Her voice sat in his ears, a silence quickly permeating in the room.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he said, forgetting to address the demon, however, she hadn''t garnered any grudge. ¡°Humans have ambushed us and started killing the demons,¡± he said, a deathly silence falling upon the two immediately after.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she spoke through a vague hint of somber. ¡°They have detonated the walls of the mansion and raided the ballroom, but most importantly and unfortunately, they have succeeded in their attack. Almost half of the guests there have died under their blade, or, in the next few days following. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    She asked with a solemn face, confusion replacing her slave. Stuttering inwardly with his thoughts, he stared deep into her pink eyes. ¡®Almost half? there were at least a hundred demons there. Demons that can wield magic, yet they fell so easily?¡¯


    ¡°Lutiel,¡± she spoke suddenly, breaking his daze apart.


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°You were poisoned by attackers. You¡¯ve been asleep for a whole week now,¡± she uttered, making his head spin as the words fell out of her mouth.


    ¡°... What?¡± He snorted out unknowingly, with a convoluted mutter. Sinking in his depths, her words rattled before he once again turned to her face. ¡°Are you saying all of the demons were poisoned?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°The ones that were injured, yes,¡± she stated with ease. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve realized.¡±


    ¡°If the poison was strong enough to kill the demons with horns, how am I still alive?¡± He asked the lady in front of him, quickly receiving a meek nod.


    ¡°Neither I or even that vixen have any idea. All I can say is that it was a miracle. I gave you my best treatment, but most of the work had been dealt by your body, somehow,¡± she spoke, bringing him tens of questions yet again.


    ¡°Will I live?¡± He asked instead however. There was no point ruminating on matters he would never be able to understand.


    ¡°It seems so,¡± she spoke vaguely, glancing down at the bowl in her hands. ¡°Your vitals have stabilized and your heart no longer beats so furiously.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said, easing up somewhat, however, recalling the nick around his shoulder from the human soldier, Lutiel promptly lifted his head before glancing down to the left. Nonetheless, it was only skin around there, all healed up and without a scar in sight.


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of me,¡± angling his head towards the lady, he swiftly parted his lips. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for dirtying your bed, my lady. I must have sweated a lot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about that, just open your mouth.¡± Her voice traveled to him quickly, his eyes watching as a spoon filled with the paste traveled towards his mouth. However, touching his lips, they wouldn¡¯t open, so Zyponia took her hand away, with a partly indignant expression. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°A slave shouldn¡¯t be fed by the master, my lady.¡± He replied, only for the demon lord to raise her eyebrows in amusement. ¡°I will eat it on my own.¡± Or so he said, grimacing while trying to move his arms towards her.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak from the illness, dehydrated, and malnourished. Just keep lying on the bed and be obedient, okay? One more day won¡¯t make a difference to me,¡± she muttered while the man opened his mouth, hastily to the point of seeming forceful.


    Suddenly, as the spoon left the viscid medicine inside his mouth, the man involuntarily released unruly noises from deep within his throat. Yet, before he could barf at himself, something washed over his mouth, making him swallow the remedy fully.


    ¡°Do I really have to eat the whole bowl?¡± He asked immediately, glaring with his straight face at the lady. Still, hiding her chuckle while looking down, she quickly composed herself before glancing at him.


    ¡°Yes, it will give your muscles some strength back. Seeing as you¡¯re relatively okay now, I want to perform a quick test at something,¡± she said, already back to her previous expression before his noises.


    ¡°Fine.¡± with an internal sigh, he simply stared at the mound of a lime-green substance already going towards him on the spoon. Quickly, opening his mouth, he once again barely restrained himself from vomiting, tasting the intense herbal and medicinal flavors.


    However, with quick ten or so spoonfuls, he finally used his arms to raise himself up, sitting underneath the duvet just so it covered his waist and below. No longer hurting as before, he moved his arms around effortlessly, but still gently, checking if any mark had been left as an aftermath of the battle.


    His hands grazed across the areas that had been cut during the attack, but just like the left shoulder, he could find nothing, whether that was a good or a bad thing. Deep in thoughts, he was suddenly brought back by the soft rustle of fabric in the air.


    Gliding gracefully while folded neatly, all of his butler¡¯s attire came floating by, under the demon lord¡¯s attention. With facile and swifty movements, she moved the clothes over to him before tossing them down on his bedded lap.


    ¡°I¡¯ll turn around, so tell me when you change back,¡± the girl spoke to him whilst being truthful to her words. Intrigued slightly, Lutiel took away the duvet, only to witness his glory bare to the world. ¡®I should have expected it, I guess.¡¯ He pondered, promptly standing up from the bed before his underwear swiftly crawled up to protect the genitals. Grasping the pants, however, he had been stopped.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot,¡± she suddenly mentioned, in the middle of him putting on the shirt. Halting his movements, the human froze in place. ¡°Wear just the underwear for now.¡±


    ¡°So you were watching, my lady?¡±


    ¡°I have good hearing,¡± she said, breaking the silence whilst still showing her back to him.


    Within a few breaths passing, the two stood firmly on the soft carpet, neither one moving a hair¡¯s breadth amidst the quiet air.


    ¡°I wanted you to try the experiment we did with Camilla back then, remember?¡± Omitting the matter, she still hadn¡¯t turned around, despite him no longer showing his bareness.


    ¡°I do, my lady. That metal has been stuck in my head,¡± nodding whilst his tongue rolled, she finally turned to him, her face as composed as he had first met her.


    ¡°Good, let¡¯s see your new results, then,¡± she spoke softly before something whistled through the air. Quickly, Lutiel looked to the side of Zyponia, witnessing an ornate, wooden case flying through the space just like the clothes. Placed delicately against the center of the room, the square crate opened right as it settled. Pointing towards it behind her, the demon spoke to the man.


    ¡°Please, repeat what we did back then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said with a calm look, quickly following her orders before arriving at the center of both the room and the carpet. Glancing down at the round, almost perfectly spherical metal, he lowered his right hand for the shiny, gray ball that seemed to reflect all of the room¡¯s possessions.


    ¡®Odd,¡¯ he wondered to himself, grasping onto the metal before easily raising it up. ¡®Why is it so light all of a sudden?¡¯ Then, he followed in her past instructions, swinging his arm to throw the ball at the wall. Letting go off of his grasp, the ball scattered the air around it, flying potently through the bedroom.


    Staring at the result with slightly widened eyes, Zyponia barely flinched in time, quickly sprawling out her arm. Moving at the pale yellow wall with vehement celerity, the ball was just about to hit the paint when something stopped it, hovering about.


    Falling gracefully and bouncing off the wooden floor a few times, the ball rolled towards the man while he turned his head to the lady, he himself certainly shocked, even if face didn¡¯t show much of it. ¡°Beie arn vyrc?¡± She muttered discreetly, looking at him with a distracted sight.

 45. Quick Test

    Turning her eyes at the magical ball, she promptly used the stretched out arm, rotating the hand before the metal started to fly through the room once again. Without much noise, the soft palm shortly caressed the sphere. Eyeing it with superb notice, Zyponia¡¯s eyebrows flurried instead.


    ¡°Did you feel any opposition from it?¡± She quickly asked, without lifting her head.


    ¡°Barely, if there was any, my lady,¡± replying with a calm stature, she promptly shut her lips after breathing out a puff of air. Wondering on the matter for not long however, the demon lord soon threw the ball back, raising her eyes at him anew.


    Bouncing off the carpet, it quickly started to roll about all the way towards the man, stopping just as it hit his pale feet. ¡°Do it again.¡± The voice brushed the ears of her slave, who didn¡¯t wait long. Just like before, he lowered his body before grasping the ball with all of his fingers. Firming the muscles, his eyelids flinched at the sudden repress coming from below.


    As if sucking out all of the power his flesh possessed, the fingers began convulsing trying to lift up the object, the breathing of the man harshening up with each successive try. ¡®I can¡¯t even budge it,¡¯ he thought before entirely giving in. Looking at the lady on his right through hastened breaths, he parted the lips.


    ¡°I can¡¯t lift it up,¡± said Lutiel, only to receive a nod of her blue face.


    ¡°Alright, try now,¡± she spoke suddenly, but he didn¡¯t question the words, following once again after his breathing fervently calmed out.


    Grasping the ball with his fingers anew, he started raising it swiftly despite garnering visible difficulties. Falling down upon his shoulder, the palm with the ball didn¡¯t rest for long, his arm swinging the ball away, or at least trying to.


    With a similar result to the initial experiment, the ball staggered through the air for less than a hand¡¯s reach before nippily falling down. At the same time, Lutiel¡¯s chest heaved up and down as tried to catch a better breath, only for it to suddenly calm down a moment later.


    No longer standing idly behind him, Zyponia finally closed in on their distance, prompting the man to turn around at the same time. ¡°Has the energy inside me increased again?¡± He asked as she halted right before him, not breaking his peer around the girl for a single time while she moved.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Did Luviene tell you?¡± She pondered through a meekly veiled intrigue. Yet, her brows raised themselves further from him shaking the head weakly.


    ¡°Rudrik?¡± She asked once again, receiving a swift nod this time. ¡°He really didn¡¯t hide his mouth, huh?¡± With a calm thought, she quickly walked past her slave, arriving near the space around her windows while another crate began to move through the air. With the same shape, simply bigger, the wooden box replaced the already tidied sphere, revealing a considerably bigger one.


    ¡°Please, just continue with the exercise as you would have,¡± she spoke, facing him with arms calmly lingering around her sides.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he spoke before squatting down and grabbing the ball with both of his hands stretched out. Raising himself up and straightening the legs, at the same time bringing the ball towards his stomach. Because of the tensed muscles of the torso, the man swiftly brought it back down.


    Despite the clear struggle, however, he completed the task for more than ten repetitions, falling down to the ground at the end before sweat trickled along his body. Dripping from the bridge of his nose, a droplet swiftly broke apart as it hit the surface of the ball, however, despite the scattering, no smudge of liquid was left on the metal, as though it had absorbed all of it clearly.


    Still, Lutiel couldn¡¯t witness more of the same, the ball hastily taken back to the crate, replaced by a long, rangy one. On the deep, red cushion within, the lengthy staff presented itself to the man. Breathing out smoothly as his lungs became rejuvenated, the slave took the extended, metallic pole with both hands before treating it the same as he did his imaginary sword.


    Cutting the air above, the staff stayed there in the same position while he tried to shake as little as possible, enduring the burning sensation around his flesh. Regardless, he was already out within a few breaths, dropping the staff before taking a deep breath.


    Zyponia stared at the man diligently, watching with clear eyes as the metal had been raised anew, unlike the single instance during their previous session. Though, withstanding the forces much shorter, the staff fell down quickly before the demon lord properly faced her servant.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Shutting the box once the object had been put inside, she easily moved it away from the two of them, making the glistening man take a closer look at her, his unsteady breath gradually waning.


    Their eyes met as Lutiel remained in the middle of her bedroom. Glancing ahead of him, her clear image resounded thoroughly, the rays behind the girl peeking through to paint her grace. However, he quickly changed his sight, looking around her arms. ¡°My lady? What about the sword?¡± He asked, the blank image on him breaking ever barely.


    However, staring at the man, she didn¡¯t reply immediately. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you more comfortable with the spear?¡± The voice resounded in his ears, recalling the events from a week prior. ¡°I can always change the shape if you want to.¡± She said suddenly, while he still mused over the last question.


    Yet, despite the answer he always knew very well, Lutiel¡¯s lips didn¡¯t give it up so quickly. Glancing momentarily at the right hand, where smooth skin welcomed his vision, only then did he start speaking. ¡°It¡¯s fine, my lady. I had visions of training with the spear, but it seems my muscles and I had forgotten most of the movements. I¡¯m okay with the sword.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Alright then.¡±


    Having said so, Zyponia moved her right arm out, following with a whistle of the wind as the last crate swiftly arrived near his legs. Shining boldly as the light poured over the blade, his eyes reflected its belle. Without waiting any longer, he moved his figure down with zero hesitation, grabbing onto the hilt and raising the sword with both hands.


    Putting on a stance with his legs without a thought, his brows contorted slightly after feeling just how much ease his body had received. With a round motion, he clenched his arms and raised the sword up, instantly cleaving the air before him in half.


    And, although it left him almost breathless, the man quickly began doing it one more time, his hands and arms shaking incessantly. Despite that, a few breaths after, the sword had once again been swung, with a form his glyph judged as plausible.


    ¡°That¡¯s all. Thank you,¡± she spoke sincerely, walking over to grab the weapon by herself before effortlessly putting it inside the case, all while Lutiel panted like a dog.


    ¡°Did I do good, my lady?¡± A question spiraled out of his calming mouth, leaving her to ponder silently. Tossing the box in the air before it floated serenely back to its initial place near the other furniture, Zyponia stared into his eyes for a few moments.


    ¡°Better,¡± she spoke tersely, leaving her gaze across his slave brand. ¡°I would have never expected you to grow so quickly, but it seems that the ball has helped you tremendously.¡±


    ¡°How so, my lady?¡±


    She looked up at his face as the question spoke through her hair. ¡°You should thank that old man if you see him again. It could have been the complete opposite had he not given you that note. Though, that makes me wonder if he knew of the planned attack,¡± the lady spoke, leaving him with a faint smile before she quickly fell deep into thoughts.


    ¡°I will, my lady,¡± he said, only for his face to sour slightly as she lowered her eyebrows. ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned, irritated. ¡°How many times are you going to call me that?¡±


    Staggering back somewhat at the question, his calm face still quickly recollected itself. ¡°My lady, but we¡¯re inside the mansion, I can¡¯t speak to you in any other way.¡±


    The words flowed out of his lips, but their intent seemed to have sparked the opposite effect. Raising her brow, indignant, Zyponia retorted at the statement.


    ¡°Did you forget I am the master of this house? I make up the rules, so tone it down with the addressing, understood?¡± With a somewhat raised voice, she berated the man.


    Staring at her serious face for a few moments, he saw it waver for a fleeting breath before quickly coming back. Yet, he didn¡¯t know what to think of it. So, with an internal sigh, he replied promptly.


    ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind next time. Can I dress up now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, regarding the next time. Although you should rest some more, could you exercise before us again tomorrow?¡± She asked, leaving him somewhat speechless. Still, letting the bare rooms air brush against his skin under the complete silence, he finally moved a few breaths after.


    ¡°Of course, should I wake up early? Also, when should I come back to work?¡± He asked, but the answers seemed to have been prepared already.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about either of those. Raeyine will wake you up if need be. As for work, you can start from the first day of Regalian. It¡¯s the 32nd, so you have a day off tomorrow and today.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said before glancing down at his bare self, soon turning towards the bed on which his clothes were kept. Without uttering a word, he moved towards them, however, his moves were halted right in the middle.


    ¡°Go and eat something after you leave. You¡¯ve slept for eight days straight and the medicine can¡¯t constantly keep your strength up.¡± She spoke, making him look twice at her in confirmation.


    ¡°Okay, I will,¡± he said back, promptly dressing up with quick and succinct motions. Quickly, he was already headed towards the doors, his swaying hair stopping out of nowhere while he was beside them.


    Creasing her eyebrows at his immured back, the demon saw him turn around, his still as ever face beginning to speak. ¡°Thank you, Zyponia. For taking care of me so much,¡± he blurted out, not waiting for much longer and leaving her alone in the room, a crushing silence accompanying her blank wondering.


    ¡­

 46. Back To The Routine

    The flesh struck against the hard material with swift, nippy motions, underneath the veil of dim silence. Repeatedly, the skin brushed a harsh rhythm while the barely visible figure moved up and down. Using the hands placed on the floor to descend, the shadowy silhouette promptly hoisted itself off the panels. Then, it repeated the actions. No matter how many times the movement played out, the figure continued, as though it hadn¡¯t strained the muscles in the slightest. Yet, just as it looked like the shadow would once again do it, the moves dissipated in clarity, its body falling to the ground with a controlled flow.


    Getting up and standing still for a while, the man looked towards the ceiling, his eyes closed to let the silence settle within. Sparsely covering the face, sweat dripped down, with considerably less vigour to his earlier days in this place. Clenching the fists, Lutiel finally opened his eyes to welcome in the murkiness embodied all around. The sole stream of illumination that came from beyond the window, in the form of minute dots sprawled across the sky, skimpily poured over to his room.


    However, walking through the space with facile coordination, he didn¡¯t call out for the crystal overhead. Instead, his mind ventured off somewhere else, the surroundings becoming the least of importance. Once again, he clenched the muscles around his arms.


    ¡®It¡¯s almost as though I kept training through my sleep. Is this the effect of the magical energy Rudrik was talking about?¡¯ He kept pulsing his arms around, as though trying to feel for the discreet, indiscernible force they all talked about.


    Of course, with a mind as oblivious as ever, the head stopped decisively. ¡®I¡¯ve definitely become stronger all of a sudden, my endurance has visibly increased as well,¡¯ he stated, swiftly delivering a punch through the air only to calm down. ¡®The speed, too,¡¯ he added , momentarily cutting the air with his right leg before a blaring light encompassed the dull surroundings.


    Coming right from the middle of his right hand, a cold shine unveiled his suspended in place figure. Slowly retrieving the leg, he let the thoughts out. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s just slight increases, but it¡¯s all starting to add up together with my training.¡¯ Lutiel concluded, his typically composed face staring deeply at the image starting to be reflected along the pane.


    ¡®Yet, would I be able to defeat that demon?¡¯ He asked himself, only to glance down at the crest written in the skin. Already simmering down, it began waning into oblivion beneath his eyes, the reflection before him disappearing briskly. ¡®Those scales, they were like plates of the strongest armors I¡¯ve witnessed. Yet, he could move around as though nothing restrained him.¡¯


    With a quickly emptied mind, he walked over to the middle of the room. Stopping in place, he closed his eyes for countless breaths. As the man waited in the space wordlessly, images washed over him serenely, depicting the sombre ball before focusing solely upon the fight.


    Breaking out of the steady position suddenly, he took on a lowered stance, placing his hands up as if something was there for him to actually hold onto. Opening the lids to reveal his keen eyes, Lutiel stared amidst the night. Despite glaring into nothing for a few moments, he started moving with terse signs.


    The made up spear he held onto swooshed through the space, halting completely right before it could ever graze the walls. Tensing his muscles just like he did at the time, Lutiel thrusted the spearhead to the side, letting free of the sword¡¯s path abruptly.


    With swift motions to the side, the man stepped freely while his upper body churned, trying to pierce through the giant right in front of him. Yet, an image of the tip being stopped overwhelmingly furrowed his mind before he turned back. He once again stood calmly against the room, following the gleam from beneath.


    A quarter of the glyph had become illuminated, however, he focused on the depths of the mark. ¡®You¡¯re saying it¡¯s possible, huh?¡¯ Lutiel mused to himself before taking on an identical stance as prior.


    Though, only for the initial part. Under the itching of the mark, he set his body in different ways. Adjusting the feet ever so slightly. Either rotating their placement or firming up the position of certain parts of the feet, he followed with the arms and the grip.


    Just like a few breaths ago, he saw the slave with black scales right in front of him, the man rushing towards him with his horrendous form. Flying through the room lividly, the sword arrived at the human¡¯s skin. Still, the slave¡¯s blade stopped after being unable to get a chance at slashing him, cut off by the long weapon the enemy possessed.


    Unlike the short past, the spearhead overwhelmed the metal. Disrupting its course completely, the sword fell away while the white-haired man effortlessly pulled to the side. He stopped for a brisk breath, as though hanging frozen through time, only to tighten the grip on the handle.


    Letting go off the left hand, he twisted his body to adorn the other arm. The weapon in his grasp intensified as he suddenly moved at the same shoulder as before. Spinning while slicing through the air, the spearhead promptly arrived at the spot, stopping immediately. With the slight wafts around him calming down, so did his breathing.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Looking at the arm that did most of the work, Lutiel¡¯s eyes flowed to the hand, where a sturdy glow of a single streak invited itself, though with a glow considerably meeker than the first time.


    With a heaving chest, Lutiel pondered on the crest dying out beneath the bracing light. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t it hurt? Why is it so different from the sword?¡¯ However, despite the many questions, all he could do was swing his arms away and try to imitate the movements.


    ¡®I know barely anything. The glyph, the magic, the demons, and even the humans that attacked. And what if I wanted to contact them, what then?¡¯ Standing still while the mind clustered up, Lutiel could only shake his head in defeat. ¡®I should do something instead of weeping so much.¡¯


    Firming up the eyebrows, he prepared his body before gripping onto the air beyond his stomach. However, the form he took on wasn¡¯t clear in the slightest. His feet, unsymmetric, stepped all over the floor while his shoulders became tense beyond measure.


    Messing up, he could already feel the itchiness around his hand, worsening each breath he took. Right as he raised the invisible sword, he could only stop under the paralyzing pain. Dropping the sword away, his head swiftly picked up on the other weapon.


    Once again, with the poorest of forms he could imagine, Lutiel meekly took hold of the spear. Through legs that barely provided any assistance and hips that didn¡¯t work, he swung the handle with nothing but pure strength. Yet, his arms clearly finished the movement, with no effort for him to stop. No, vibrating visibly around the skin, the crest did the complete opposite. Instead of hurting him like the sword did, clear instructions fell upon the mind, exact and proper moves forming through faint visions to aid his journey.


    ¡®Does it just mean I¡¯m incompatible with the sword?¡¯ He mused while scratching the back of his head. Then, he abruptly stopped before looking ahead with clear eyes. ¡®No, there is a way to test that, right, Kylli?¡¯ Slipping through, the thoughts left him to walk around the room, briskly arriving near the chair.


    Stretching out his hand, the man didn¡¯t even close his eyes as the memories flooded. All the giggling and laughing through the jeers, as well as the teasing, he remembered all of them when envisioning the bow in his left hand. Moving the right one soon enough, just around the middle of the string, he began pulling it when a single streak lit up brightly, swallowing the whole of his space.


    Mellowing out as the man let go of the string, he quickly looked at the glyph with solemn eyes. ¡®Must be the opposite, then,¡¯ with his body already drying off under the mansion¡¯s warmth, he finally lowered his body for the nightly shirt. In a swift motion, he moved over the bed, crossing his legs while sitting on top of the duvet.


    His eyes lingered through the room, grasping onto the darkness while submerging inside his head. ¡®If pain indicates talent, why did they never shriek at all? They were the embodiment of their weapons, no human could ever rival them in their field,¡¯ staring at the platinum hairs swaying distantly, Lutiel stared at the dim mark showing itself.


    ¡®Also, why does my glyph have twice the amount of streaks on it?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but ask, with a tinge of irritation. No matter what, it felt like every time he finally uncovered something, another veiled aspect came to shine.


    ¡°Haa,¡± inhaling deeply, he released the air harshly before setting his eyes firmly on the hand, not letting go of it no matter what. ¡®The more something pains me, the more potential I seem to have for it. However, with the pain, the glyph¡¯s corrections disappear. At the same time, when another streak lights up, the pain lessens almost completely. I guess that¡¯s how they hid it so easily. Yet, when the second one lit up, there were no instructions from the mark and there is only so much I can remember from Raphael¡¯s sword swings. Does it mean I just have to experiment and let the pain course through me? I will have to experiment tomorrow.¡¯


    Letting himself become absorbed in the thoughts, even if his eyes were open, Lutiel didn¡¯t glance away from the hand. Without noticing, the clouds in the sky passed by his window numerous times, the man only breaking away from the stupor as his stomach clenched in on itself, striking him by surprise.


    He didn¡¯t wait for long while looking down at the shirt, promptly standing up and coming over to the wardrobe.


    With a set of fresh underwear and night clothes in his grasp, the slave left his room, easily making his way through the corridors. Omitting the baths, he followed further in, quickly grasping on the kitchen door¡¯s handle.


    However, right before he pulled on the door, he hesitated, noises reverberating from the insides. Crackling and scraping of something suctioned his attention. Under the furrowed eyebrows of his, he staggered forward involuntarily, the door pushing him.


    ¡°I was wondering who it was sneaking around. Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± A familiar voice rested inside his ears as the doors flung open fully, a tall maid wearing glasses welcoming his sight. Standing by the fiery stove that released its flames directly at the pans above, Lutiel watched Raeyine tend to them. Rubbing along the surface of a pan with the wooden spatula in her right hand, she briskly changed her attention to the one next to it.


    ¡°I was hungry,¡± he didn¡¯t hide the words. Remaining beyond the doors, he awaited the girl¡¯s reaction inside the sparsely illuminated veil of night around them


    ¡°Please come in. I was in the middle of making myself something as well,¡± she spoke softly, so as to not disturb the night¡¯s serene breeze. Stirring through the dark pan on the stove whilst constantly eyeing the man, her face blossomed a smile as he took a step beyond the doorway. ¡°I hope you like onions,¡± the girl added swiftly.


    ¡°I do, thank you,¡± with his voice battling against the raging fire, he closed the doors delicately before taking a spot on the chair near the table.

 47. Questions, Again

    Staring silently at her barely visible back, his face suddenly looked up. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± She asked solemnly, the voice brimming with remnants of concern.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said while nodding. ¡°The medicine helped me.¡± ¡®As disgusting as it was,¡¯ adding discreetly, the girl continued stirring the pan.


    ¡°Well, no matter what it was, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re okay. The poison battled with your insides quite badly, even my abilities weren¡¯t enough to heal you,¡± her voice sank slightly while the man took in all of her words.


    ¡°Lady told me it was strong enough to kill the demons from the ball,¡± he said, making her halt momentarily before continuing.


    ¡°Yes¡­ quite a number has fallen due to it. Although it¡¯s a shame, we can do nothing about it,¡± her voice trailed off near the end, leaving him to wonder shortly.


    ¡°How? Doesn¡¯t Lady Zyponia rule over the city?¡± He asked, alas, the man only received a shake of her head.


    ¡°I know why you think that, and it¡¯s not wrong. However, we can¡¯t just kill humans because of a single event. The ones that attacked the ball have already died, so it¡¯s a done deal for now.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too risky?¡± He spoke suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed at her words. ¡°Half of the guests were killed during the attack. What if they attack again in the future?¡±


    His question quickly reached her ears and he could see the side of her face turning into a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯re right again, but that¡¯s not up to debate. She, as a demon lord, can¡¯t just kill a human because she wants it. Although, I¡¯m not sure if the other lords still follow their own words after so many years,¡±


    ¡®Words? To not kill humans? What is she talking about?¡¯ His curiosity peaked at the statement, however, he quickly recalled the conversation he had with Zyponia. ¡®Humans only become slaves and die after attacking first, huh?¡¯


    ¡°Why?¡± The man asked sparsely, but the words made Raeyine stop her actions. The uniform she typically wore no longer rustled about under the faint tunes escaping in front of her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you save yourself a lot of trouble if you got rid of us?¡± He only added intensity to the crackling blaze.


    ¡°No,¡± she spoke softly, beginning to shake her head. ¡°It would be the opposite instead. I don¡¯t expect you to follow my words, but what I said was true,¡± saying so, the maid promptly went back to working on the pans.


    ¡®No, I can believe it,¡¯ Lutiel spoke through his depths. ¡®But, it would be better if I hear the same from another human.¡¯ His eyes swept across the nightly touch around them, lingering with resolve.


    ¡°Do you know who the attackers were? All I remember are their leather armors and identical swords.¡± The question quickly cut through the steamy pans, making the girl ponder for a moment.


    ¡°Do you recall the man you fought with before you came here?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± replying briskly, the center of his face itched all of a sudden. ¡°He was the one that broke my nose.¡±


    ¡°That one. He played out an attack at the coal docks with the revolutionary army before getting enslaved, which failed miserably,¡± she spoke with an unemotional tone, as though reading out the events from a page. ¡°Although they lost this city¡¯s leader, it seemed they used the occasion for a surprise attack. I¡¯m sure you were told how the rest went.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re the revolutionaries, huh?¡± He spoke absentmindedly, quickly startling himself as the shadowed figure turned around right at him. Glaring at him somewhat passionately, Raeyine came closer whilst leaving the pans behind. Though, her face wasn¡¯t vexed. Rather, much to the man¡¯s internal quandary, her yellow eyes glowed with vague worry.


    Peering at him as she came to a halt just a step away, her finger traveled briskly towards his chest. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but it will never work.¡± Her soothing tongue reverberated around his ears while he stared down at the unpainted nail digging through the fabric of his shirt. ¡°You will only waste your life if you decide to go there. Even if they somehow find a way to get rid of your collar.¡±


    Flinching slightly at her words, his eyebrows quickly abated back to normal. Though, before he could even reason her tongue, she followed right after. ¡°Just stay with us here. You won¡¯t regret it, trust me,¡± she said, through a veil of desperation quickly slipping by.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he replied swiftly, raising his head to stare into her troubled eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t try anything. I was just curious about their identity.¡± Talking to the girl still angled at him, his face eased from her cool composure slightly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said whilst turning around. Though, walking leisurely towards the stove, she muttered through a voice he barely caught onto. ¡°Ilku inbie bul art¡¯e, prie.¡±


    ¡®Art¡¯e?¡¯ Furrowing his brows at the words, the mien stayed there for a while, countless thoughts trembling through. ¡®Why does it sound like that?¡¯ He mused, the confused face not letting go.


    ¡®Haa.¡¯ Yet, under so much tension, he could only sigh internally to calm himself. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Though, as if coming to his aid for the second time, Raeyine¡¯s voice traveled from the front before quickly charming his focus. ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± she said gently, forgetting the few breaths prior as if they hadn¡¯t been uttered. Sharing her approach, Lutiel also briskly disregarded them, looking at the head maid turning around with a dark pan that steamed faintly through the shroud of darkness.


    Put directly onto the plate around the table, its contents uncovered themselves under the meek light from the side. Meanwhile, as Lutiel stared at the glistening, caramelized onions filling the majority of the iron, the girl turned around to reach for the second pan, briskly bringing it to the table as well.


    As for the utensils, she didn¡¯t bring any, the wooden spatula left in the steamy onions. Walking to the other side of the table beneath his gaze, the pan covered with fried bread came into his sight quickly, making him glance up at the girl and part his lips.


    ¡°Thank you for the food,¡± he said, the girl swift to reciprocate.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Dig in and enjoy,¡± she said, pooling the first scoop of the onions onto the spoon and revealing the seared and sliced sausages entwined within. Dangling the individual strands of brown onions onto the toasted bread, she promptly handed it over to the man, smiling gently as she looked at the hidden, ravenous eyes around him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he repeated himself, staring constantly at the food with his marked hand already stretched out.


    ¡­


    ¡°You can go outside already. We will meet you there in a few moments,¡± her voice ruled over the space, surrounding the two standing beside her before quickly receiving replies. Lowering her eyes at the snowy-haired girl, the student¡¯s lips moved with a spry manner.


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± she spoke softly, waiting to turn around and head for the doors. ¡°Should I start the lesson by myself?¡± Her delicate tongue rolled again, though, with a slight curiosity entangling it. However, receiving a subtle glare from her teacher, she soundly proceeded to move outside of the room, all during which Lutiel was putting his clothes back on.


    Almost done throughout, he witnessed the events with clear eyes, halting momentarily as the dark jacket sprawled out along his torso. Following Camilla¡¯s movements as she darted outside of the room, he went back at the demon lord as the doors disrupted the steady air.


    Finishing dressing up beneath her glance, Lutiel stood frozen in place when the gloves fit restfully against his hands. However, unlike his expectation, the man stared at the cold face of his owner.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯ He thought to himself discreetly. ¡®Raeyine must have told her,¡¯ adding while searching for clues along her face, he eased his eyes once Zyponia¡¯s cold face melted away.


    ¡°Haa, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t get mad at your curiosity. It¡¯s only fair that you understand who it was that almost killed you,¡± her face relaxed as the voice fell out. Moving her hand to her chin however, the demon pondered. ¡°Still, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not irritated. After the lesson is over, you will go to the town, to the upper part,¡± saying so, a smile broadened slightly across her face, staring at the flinching eyebrows of the man.


    ¡°Hmm, it seems like your coldness is breaking apart,¡± she added with a mellow smirk before continuing. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s time we finally have a proper talk, so buy a good bottle of wine, or maybe more,¡± she said under his visible confusion, quickly moving her arms towards his right glove.


    Taking hold of the hand, Lutiel stared down as he felt something graze across the pale fabric around his palm. Looking at her natural, meekly blue nails, the hands promptly moved away from him while something shone in the dark pupils.


    With a catchy gleam, the rays beyond the window next to them reflected their hubris. However, looking at the golden coin in his palm just once, the eyes swiftly traversed all the way towards Zyponia¡¯s modest expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will know the shop when you see it. Rovier will lead you there,¡± tapping him sparingly on the shoulder, the girl said, her eyes easing up from their usual tautness. ¡°Also, you can save the change.¡±


    Looking twice at the face of the girl and the coin, the munificent lord swiftly crawled away from him, soon resting her arms near her hips while glancing down at the backyard from beyond her windows. Not facing him in the slightest, the girl in the soft, pink fabric watched the gales dance steadily.


    ¡°Despite what happened with Raeyine, like I said, I¡¯m not mad at you. Which is why I will allow you to ask a single question regarding the matter before ending the topic, understood?¡± Slowly, as she asked, her body turned to glance at him, her hands lay on one another.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lutiel replied briskly, only for her basking face to gleam in front of him. Awaiting the words coming from him, she stood there solemnly, not twitching the slightest of muscles. However, leaving her hanging, he couldn¡¯t open his mouth so quickly before the mind made up the best decision.


    ¡®If she recalled Raeyine, then she must have told her about everything. But no, that doesn¡¯t concern the revolutionaries, right? However, what more will I understand about them from her?¡¯ the man mused while Zyponia¡¯s pink eyes stared keenly into him. Almost hearing as if the silence permeated their ears, Lutiel finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°Can I ask about something else instead?¡± He asked, making her raise an eyebrow slightly.


    ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you curious about them?¡± Intrigued at his words somewhat, a question rolled off her tongue right after.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, however, I¡¯m more interested in the other thing Raeyine has told me,¡± he said, to which the air around the demon immediately churned, realizing. Looking at the man with a hastily reserved face, she stood silent for a brief period.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she finally uttered. ¡°Ask me.¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not certain about it, I wondered for a while. What is the reason and meaning behind the vows you made?¡±


    Even though the girl seemed to have expected it, her eyes opened slightly at the words. Starstruck, she fell silent at him. ¡°That,¡± she spoke before stopping and continuing soon after. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t acknowledge it,¡± the lips murmured quietly before halting herself again.


    Placed against the strident silence, Lutiel himself froze up, his mind wreaking havoc as the body thumped from inside. ¡®Just tell me already, why are you keeping it a secret?¡¯ He pondered beneath the trembling heart.


    With uneasy eyes that eventually simmered down, despite facing him with her body, the demon lady broke their eye contact. Finally, after countless agitated breaths, she spoke through, ¡°I promise I will tell you later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said, immediately bowing down, however, his body battled harshly against something whilst lowering himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that anymore, alright?¡± She asked softly, almost muttering. Receiving a shake of the head, the girl shared his motions.

 48. A Secret Meeting 1

    ¡°I won¡¯t, sorry,¡± he apologised quickly while the girl fully turned around to face him. With an upright back, he stood serenely before her.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Camilla now. Take these with you because I want you to do the same as you did with me,¡± she said swiftly, a rustle of wind beyond her figure disturbing their peace.


    Floating through the space, Lutiel glanced at the pen holder and a small bottle of ink, all accompanied with two pale papers to top them all off.


    Staring at them while forming a slight crease on the forehead, he didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°My lady, do you want me to count the times she loses focus?¡± The slave asked, to which his lady spryly nodded.


    ¡°I want every little detail you can catch, alright? Any movement of her muscles you can see or loss of concentration, write them down. Just like during our session.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will try my best,¡± he replied, eyeing the items while promptly receiving them from the air. Without beating around the bush any longer, as a breath left his nostrils, Zyponia¡¯s legs paced up through the room. Heading towards the ornate doors, they opened before he could help her, without any use of the lady¡¯s hands.


    ¡®Magic sure is handy,¡¯ Lutiel thought as he witnessed the action, only to glance at the back facing him and keep up the speed. Apace, without even noticing it, Lutiel walked through the ground floor. Containing his movements behind the lady, he already witnessed the gloomy skies in the next moments, along with the expanse of verdant gardens across the manor¡¯s vicinity.


    Swiftly and effortlessly crossing the empty paths with bush hedges along the sides, he finally witnessed the girl that stood between the vast lands of nursed grass, next to the trailing tree that couldn¡¯t lose its vibrance no matter what.


    All kept within the stretching, black fence intermittent with brick columns, the backyard stood out against the dull skies like a sore thumb, as though stuck in a season prior.


    Regardless, he continued to go after the lady to his right, hesitating only as they met with the dainty girl. ¡°Camilla, start your training as always,¡± Zyponia said promptly, walking a bit closer to the disciple while the slave¡¯s focus lingered on the pen and paper.


    ¡°Master, are you sure we should speak in the human tongue?¡± All of a sudden, the girl rejected her instructions, asking with eyes that scoured around the man.


    Below the brisk sensation that embraced the butler, his eyes flinched up to depict a duo of ladies glaring through his skin and flesh. His skin tensed lightly, be it from the breeze of their sight or the wind¡¯s.


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡± Lutiel asked urgently as Zyponia kept her stares, to which she retrieved the hidden thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just start. Lutiel, it would be best if you went back a few steps,¡± her tongue nudged his head. Despite following the suggestion immediately, he always kept his eyes at the fair student, as to not miss any of the movements.


    Immediately, his eyebrows immured in place as the girl started right after his movements. Her eyelids staggered down gingerly. Falling gently upon the blue eyes, she no longer felt to care about the world around her.


    The knotted hands beside her stomach splintered apart, flowing to the sides harmoniously before descending anew. Brushing against each other deliberately, the left hand fell on top of the right, only to ceremoniously stand there amidst the coiling wafts.


    Just as he had seen when they first met, the winds did nothing against the girl. No, rather, she seemed to have utter control over the element. Zyponia, along with Lutiel, watched through the strands of hairs clotting on their faces while swaying about. All while the student¡¯s head remained intact, at least for a breath or so.


    A single strand of her white hairs swiftly shone out around her face. Almost instantly, before it could calm down, the noise of metal grazing through a smooth, pale surface ravaged the irrational wafts. Noting on the paper, his right hand moved expeditiously, unbeknownst of the head that nodded on the side.


    Peering down and ahead, again and again with a rhythmic manner, once Camilla lost her focus initially, it was like a river that found a simpler way to flow about. Writing as her facial muscles flinched or the fingers rubbed against one another, Lutiel didn¡¯t miss any of it. Nothing escaped his visual grasp, including the slightest, yet irregular breaths colluding her mind.


    Continuing to stare, the girl  eventually lowered her bottom to sit amid the blades of grass dancing to her magic. Following in the approach, the man promptly sat right against her, the breaths flowing in and out whilst he reported his work.


    Oblivious to the gray clouds floating by nippily, a full page had been filled out with the dark blue ink before he flipped it and went back to the meticulous hand.


    Yet, staring at the stream of information right in front of him, he looked dubiously at his right glove. Floating about the sullied tip, he made sure to look twice. Turning his head back to the girl, however, it didn¡¯t work. Tightening the grip around the pen while facing Camilla, for a few breaths, he couldn¡¯t write down any word.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    And from the few, individual breaths, the stagnation only increased. Even though he watched as a finger of hers twitched sporadically, no ink spilled out from the nib. Instead, dripping down onto the page because of his hesitance, the spot dried up while the tip lost all of its vivid fluid.


    Still, before he could truly stop writing, he felt a prod around the middle of his chest, gnawing away at him. Prickling at his heed, the demon lord stood with her hands clasped together, watching as he finally turned to her.


    ¡°Why did you stop?¡± She voiced towards him quietly, soothing the winds around to reach his ears.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered, almost inaudible. However, her attempt worked wonderfully. Swiftly pushing out new records upon the dirtied page, he no longer seemed so abstract.


    Curving the pen into new entries separated by commas, he finally stopped drawing new lines as the girl didn¡¯t commit any mistake for a while. Though, even faster than before, he no longer wrote down her stumbles.


    The finger of his left hand swiftly caressed his half-closed eyes, massaging them as the head rang out. ¡®Ah, I concentrated too hard for too long,¡¯ he mused, not seeing any other option for the throbbing he felt around the forehead. ¡®Though, I could do it properly with Zyponia. Is it because of the wind?¡¯ He asked himself, never replying.


    Nevertheless, Lutiel finished relieving his eyes before opening them once again.


    Bright flickers all around in a spherical shape, that¡¯s the only way he could describe the phenomena in front of him. Flaring up around Camilla before instantly dissipating, he couldn¡¯t help but glance up towards the sky, searching for a clue.


    Once again, Zyponia called out through the brand as she saw him staring out into the moody skies, barely any light bouncing out from the pallid horizon above. Before long, the effects worked, and he started writing down. Yet, as a single event had been noted, he promptly stopped to soothe his eyes again.


    ¡®Ugh, what is this?¡¯ The question lingered lifelessly as the man opened his eyes, the flickering around Camilla increasing vigorously. Almost to the point of blinding him, Lutiel stared at the blue lights as though in a trance.


    It called out to him, the gleaming specks. Then, all of a sudden, he flinched. Rapidly looking around however, he only looked like an obtuse maniac as the torn noises filled his ears. Disappearing and emerging over and over, the din reminded him of a tidal shore.


    Through the mysterious clash of senses, Lutiel¡¯s body went rigid, put inside an invisible coffin made to fit his body perfectly. Yet, the eyes quivered at the world before him.


    Glancing along the moving sphere the girl was kept inside, its translucent walls spun clockwise. However, as much as he could stare at the sphere of water in the frozen moment, it had already disappeared, the stunned man coming back to the world as the rending migraine faded together with the visions.


    ¡®That was magic, I¡¯m sure of it,¡¯ the idea thundered and screamed while Camilla¡¯s face winced slightly, quickly turning normal again.


    Before the slave brand in his chest started to burn anew, he quickly wrote down the instance. At the same time, his head rummaged through the countless possibilities.


    Sitting against the wafts that considerably calmed themselves, Lutiel¡¯s solemn face headed for the student¡¯s blunders. Occasionally, he raised his head at the lord, but nothing more ever came out of it. The man simply kept to himself whilst steadily noting away.


    ¡­


    The crystallic rock spilled its amber embrace out through the room¡¯s entirety, releasing its beams in a sporadic, fleeting manner right above the man.


    Standing silently in the middle of his room, he didn¡¯t perform his routine, however. Having already done so earlier, Lutiel simply watched the flickering reflection in front of him, the window acting as a mirror at his disposal.


    His eyes scoured through the relaxed guise, the mind quivering instead. ¡®Why is she waiting for so long? It¡¯s going to be the middle of the night soon,¡¯ he mused, keeping his sight around the attire he wore during this time of day. Not much different from his servile one, he didn¡¯t wear his gloves while the suit¡¯s shade varied. Still dark, the tie and the suit itself he received from his lady described themselves with a deep blue tint.


    Regardless, looking at his fairly formal dress-up, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally at the heart buzzing within his chest. Glancing down at it momentarily, he swiftly turned around to face the desk, on which nothing else other than three identical bottles stood firmly in place.


    Straight from the base up to about two thirds of its height, the dark flasks curved to form a narrow neck, fine lines of a silvery metal covering the tip and sprawling out beneath with intricate, spiraling lines. Looking at the wines with a mellow grimace, he couldn¡¯t help but recall sneaking around the mansion to hide them within his room.


    ¡®What would they care if it got found out?¡¯ He pondered about her ways, only to close his eyes under the dim silence around him.


    However, he couldn¡¯t simply stand there and wait. Walking over to the bed with his hands in the pockets, he promptly fell down. Sitting calmly as he stared at the white wall in front of him, Lutiel burrowed into the depths of his mind, trying to pass the time.


    Still, to the surprise of the man, not a few breaths had passed before his eyelids sprung open. Feeling the tight grasp around his chest, he exhaled deeply after grabbing himself by the knees and standing up.


    ¡®Come on, you¡¯ve gone to her room so many times already. Nothing is different this time around,¡¯ he eased himself whilst eyeing the bottles. Staggering forward to the desk, he briskly caught onto the flasks, grabbing a single neck with the left hand while handling two with the marked one.


    ¡°Sait,¡± he spoke meekly near the door before the light around disappeared. Quickly, he exited the room, only to venture through the nightly corridors.


    Warily, through cautious steps, he sneaked around the hallways, making sure to not make too much noise with his feet. Though, more importantly, he watched over the two bottles around his right hand, walking slowly so the glass wouldn¡¯t clash against each other and reverberate its cries.


    Steadily, he swiftly omitted the baths and the kitchen after ensuring no noise came from beyond the rooms. One by one, he moved up the shadowy stairs, all the way towards the top floor, as well as the designated place of their abrupt rendezvous.

 49. A Secret Meeting 2

    Lit sparsely along the long hallway, his confidence resurfaced as he looked at the emptiness budding around. Despite that, his heart hammered against the chest, as though wishing to rupture out of its internal confines.


    In the distance, the double doors that he had seen quite a lot the past few days glimmered out to him. Following the warm lights through a somewhat staggered breath, with enough of them escaping his nose, the doors finally appeared next to him.


    He turned around to face them apprehended, coming to a halt as he glanced furiously at the metal in the middle. Frozen in time, he was stuck inside the corridor despite its plentiful sizes. Staring at the fine wood making up the entry, the man finally steeled himself before moving the muscles of his left arm.


    Three precise, orderly knocks crawled out from beneath his knuckles, leaving him to ponder through the deafening silence. Replacing the non existent melody, his heart rang out with cadence, somewhat soothing the man.


    However, underneath the beatings, the doors flinched eventually, creaking initially before silently moving inwardly, a soft voice welcoming him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait,¡± her tongue spoke as her image revealed itself before his eyes.


    Her face seemed gentler, lighter tones blending into her bluish skin, making the pink eyes stand out beneath the night¡¯s expanse. His sight moving below the nose, he saw the lips that matched her hair, which flowed straight whilst lightly glistening.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied after taking in the whole of her beauty. Glancing lower, her attire came to view, especially the glowing necklace he had witnessed during the ball. Going down further, he saw her stand in the slender dress that clung directly to her body, leaving space for the neck to show itself fully, together with parts of the shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t wait,¡± Lutiel added finally, already back at her eyes.


    However, the matt lips raising themselves along the face to form a crescent smile, she quickly reacted to the words. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re playing a gentleman or not, but either way, please come in,¡± said Zyponia, gesturing with her right arm whilst her body turned to the side, pointing inside the dully lit bedroom.


    Humming in confirmation while still oblivious of the room in front of him, Lutiel made sure not to bang the glass against the doors, carefully walking inside. Though, he staggered once he stared at the unfoldment of void whilst the doors clicked shut behind him. Standing next to the girl that disappeared in the dark, he couldn¡¯t even witness any star peer through the many panes.


    Before he could ever know it, something brushed against his fingers as his hands became empty of the bottles. Taken away by who must have been Zyponia, he was about to voice his thoughts, however, the sudden flash blinded his reasoning.


    Petrified, the man swiftly stared at the shimmering crystals hanging from above the floraly painted ceiling. Pondering at the tens of little, translucent rocks that shone their hearts out, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but look down at the girl portrayed by the chandelier. ¡®Have I never noticed it?¡¯ He asked himself, however, his mind quickly shook out the belief.


    Instead, it prioritized the lady, along with the orderly laid table she stood beside. Adding faintly to the atmosphere, tall candles conveyed their blue thoughts, sitting snugly in the paleish candlesticks sprawled across the round table.


    On top of its blank, fine fabric that resembled the snow, a few gray-white, metal cloches of varying sizes rested, reminiscent of the seal around the wine bottles. The flasks themselves could already be seen around the table, standing one against the other in a row.


    Near the main two cloches, by far the largest of them all, silverware sat in a docile manner. Beside the knives on each side, sleek glasses sat calmly, ready to have wines poured in. Meanwhile, on the cloche¡¯s left side, a napkin matching the flames carried a fork atop.


    Donning luxurious, violet cushions on their seats, with lines of silver that crawled along the wooden frames of the two chairs, they sat under the table against each other.


    ¡°How do you like it?¡± The girl asked suddenly as all of the scenery ingrained itself within his mind.


    ¡®Is this what she considers a proper talk? It¡¯s too much even for a date,¡¯ he stared with wonder before locking eyes with the demon lady.


    ¡°It looks great, my lady,¡± he spoke with vague intensity, making the girl stagger slightly in her approach. Although hesitating, she kept a meek smile at him, to which Lutiel swiftly corrected himself. ¡°It looks fabulous, Zyponia,¡± he added at the end, receiving a beaming, satisfied smile around her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± she said, the man finally starting to walk over to his lord. Eventually stepping close enough to reach out to her, he grabbed upon the top rail, pulling it away from below before gesturing to the girl.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she added with a dainty tongue. Promptly watching as the man went over to his side before pulling out the chair carefully and sitting down, she once again took over his ears. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re confused about everything in here, but we still came here to have a conversation. It¡¯s just easier to talk over good food and alcohol,¡± she said before his eyes flinched around the table.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The cloches trembled for a brief period, quickly moving up by themselves before floating through the air into the disappearing darkness of the bedroom. Briskly gone, the man could finally witness the plate in front of him, upon which a stunning dish garnered his focus.


    Staring at the dark brown surface along the top, with scattered spots of blackness entwining, the steak glistened from the piece of herb butter melting on it. Sliced beforehand into strips that covered almost half of the plate, he witnessed the deeply pink wall that scattered throughout its insides.


    Then, he followed to the side, where minute potatoes lay stuck in their wrinkled skin, filled with seared spots all around. Also glistening from the herby butter, they filled out the plate, though still leaving an empty area, reserved for the small, metallic boat filled with a crimson, silky sauce hidden beneath a smaller cloche that also flew away.


    ¡°Should I pour it over the plate?¡± He asked suddenly, making the girl stop heading for her own boat.


    ¡°Yes, but try it first,¡± she replied to his inquiries, the man¡¯s eyes swiftly looking at the glistening sauce. Taking hold of his knife, he dipped it inside. Dripping initially before leaving the tip covered, he didn¡¯t hesitate to try it.


    Immediately, as the sauce spread around his tongue, the man shut himself, looking twice at the middle of the table with eyes more open than usual, all under the amused looks coming from the front.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± She asked with a dim smirk, having grasped the handle of the metal boat. Moving it along to the plate identical to his, Zyponia poured it at her steak, just enough for it not to spill over to the fair ceramic.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke, nodding his head lightly. Gripping the handle, he followed the girl¡¯s motions and poured it over the meat. However, before they could indulge in the dinner, his sight followed the girl¡¯s right arm. Coiling her fingers around the neck of the bottle, she took the one closest to her.


    Immediately, as she twisted the silvery cap and opened the wine, faint aromas lingered throughout the space, filling their nostrils sharply, yet with a pleasant warmth to them.


    Staring at the bottle she was preparing for use, Lutiel restrained himself from using the fork or knife.


    Taking her glass, Zyponia eagerly filled it out to roughly just a finger¡¯s width away from the center. Before she could gesture it out to him, her guest already moved it over to her, the alcohol pouring out steadily from the bottle while unveiling its green glass around the top.


    Within a few breaths, the opened wine went back to its prior place before the duo held up their glasses, sipping onto it firstly.


    ¡®Ugh,¡¯ Lutiel wanted to spit it out instantly, feeling the harsh sensations on the tongue, however, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. With a creased forehead, he waited as the aftertaste receded down to a mellow harmony grazing along his taste buds.


    ¡°It may be a bit strong for you, but it''s good, no?¡± She asked after a larger sip flowed down her, some of the lipstick smearing along the glass¡¯ rim.


    ¡°Yes, although I don¡¯t know when was the last time I drank wine, I¡¯m sure I haven¡¯t had any better,¡± he judged while staring at the swirling, bloody fluid inside his glass.


    ¡°I see,¡± she muttered whilst putting down the liquid and filling her hands with the silverware, the man following. The two quickly diverged, however. Zyponia stabbed the meat, portioning it with silent grace. On the other hand, the man played out a bit harsher, dragging his knife and fork through the plate rather than cutting the meat.


    Nevertheless, the two came out to the same result, moving their forks with a piece of meat around them to chew it away. Sitting up straight, the two steadily cut through their dishes, sometimes combining the ingredients while other times eating one thing at a time. Sporadically, they also washed the flavors down with the wine. However, not long after they had started, the human-demon duo halted themselves almost completely, especially Zyponia.


    Slowing down, Lutiel briskly raised his head up, the voice of the lady reverberating inside his ears. ¡°You know, Lutiel, I¡¯m sorry if I came off as heartless at first,¡± she opened her lips suddenly, after having swallowed everything from her fork. ¡°To be truthful, you caught my interest from the moment the cage in the slave auction was lifted up. There was something about you I couldn¡¯t see within other humans on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My chest halted for a moment when I saw your person, and something internally told me to get you no matter what, however, I stopped myself. As cruel as it may sound, I needed to see if you could put up a proper fight, so I waited to see.¡±


    ¡°Then, does that mean you have stopped the fight even if I lost, but showed good potential?¡± He thought for a second before asking, swiftly receiving a nod in confirmation.


    ¡°Yes, that was my plan in the first place. I was sure you were going to lose against him. But, you only intensified my desire to buy you out after winning the fight.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will also say something. I didn¡¯t see you as heartless. Sure, you seemed cold, but more importantly, it felt like you were avoiding meeting or just talking to me. Well, except for the time you slapped me,¡± he said without holding back the thoughts, however, his eyebrows furrowed quickly at the unexpected reaction from the front. Immediately, her face soured vaguely at the mention.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, all of that, I just-¡± she hesitated, rubbing the handle of her knife whilst avoiding his eyes. ¡°You see, other than the fact you are my first slave, I was never this intimate with another human before. And I don¡¯t know how to be a ¡®proper¡¯ slave owner, so I just used physical intimidation to act like one.¡±


    ¡®Ahh,¡¯ he exclaimed internally, as though cold water washed over him. Staring at the troubled mien around her, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡®Why have I never thought of that? She is practically in the same position as me. Wait? First?¡¯


    ¡°First?¡± He asked out loud, her face almost already back to normal. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a girl slave that ran away?¡± His voice trailed out, to which she promptly nodded.

 50. A Secret Meeting 3

    ¡°Well, yes, she did have a slave brand, but that was to only keep her from running away, though that didn¡¯t work. I could say that you are my first actual slave.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said with a straight face before nodding faintly. Though, seeing her eyes, he added. ¡°Like I said, I didn¡¯t think you were heartless, but I don¡¯t understand while you¡¯re telling me all of this.¡± The man stated before cutting away a piece of the small potato.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you because I want you to understand. I thought about it all of today, and I concluded to keep the promise and reply to your question. You are someone special, a human unlike any other I¡¯ve seen. Even the heroes couldn¡¯t compare to you. And there is no point in hiding these things so much anymore seeing as you¡¯re getting so familiar with the magical energy.¡±


    Hearing her voice, his mouth drifted apart slightly, stopping before harshly swallowing the piece of meat. ¡®Special? More so than the heroes? Hiding? Like with meiar?¡¯ Lutiel wondered, recalling the words of Luviene, however, he quickly stopped the thoughts, listening to the lady in front of him instead. He would only fall into a spiral of confusion if he had stayed inside.


    ¡°You know about our origin already, right? Luviene told me you figured it out.¡± Yet, instead of explaining quickly, she asked him first.


    Pondering for a few moments while her stare bore deep into him. He opened his lips slowly, locking with her pink eyes. However, just like his lady, he first drifted off the topic.


    "In the dreams, the priests were always talking about how you came to existence from our sins, from the nightmares we hold, or even from the fears we shiver in front of. You should be the opposite of light, the darkness that embodies once God goes at night. Yet, it¡¯s all false, it seems,¡± he started speaking while the demon¡¯s face set in place, listening with the entirety of her being at the words.


    ¡°You came here from your own lands, no?¡± He asked before adding on immediately after. ¡°You came here from your home by the ocean, right?¡± Once again, he asked in confirmation while his eyes solemnly befell her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she spoke succinctly, only to continue under his severe sight. ¡°At first, only eight of us came here on a ship, including Magon. Ever since, the number simply never stopped increasing. Up to this day, there are hundreds, if not thousands of demons coming over each month.¡±


    The man heard her words, however, his face remained still. ¡®I knew it,¡¯ he muttered inwardly while keeping his eyes around her lips, not doubting the words in the least. No breath later, they already parted.


    ¡°Nobles, cities, houses, families, an army, all that you created on your own, we have our equivalents.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he muttered with a lowered head. Though, quickly bringing it back up, Lutiel¡¯s curious face reflected in Zyponia. ¡°Is that related to the vows?¡± His question was almost instantly met with a nod of her head.


    ¡°Just like you, we have a kingdom, in which a king rules us. Before we were sent here by our lord, we needed to be bound by an oath, all of the demon lords that came,¡± she said whilst staring to move her right hand towards him, confusing the man¡¯s eyebrows. Turning the hand around, before long, he saw something glow away with a lilac shade.


    Engraved inside the skin enough to create shadows, the round mark had been filled with lines going in every direction, connecting with another point of the circle before branching off into countless more. Similar to the one he had seen her draw on paper, this one seemed ever more complex to his eyes. Though, as they began to shiver and itch, the man quickly took his eyes away, rubbing himself beneath her voice.


    ¡°Its purpose is very clear. We would die if any of us attacked humans without a sound reason. If the humans didn¡¯t assault us first, we could never do anything at all.¡±


    Calming down before her voice, his face promptly froze up with solemnity, ruminating on the words. ¡®This also must be true. After all, I can¡¯t remember a single instance where they ever attacked us. Still, for what reason?¡¯


    ¡°Why?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud in the slightest, however, it still bellowed with meaning.


    ¡°It would be easier to just kill all of you right away, no?¡± She asked him with a meek smirk, only to receive a serious nod from his side. ¡°We never came here to wipe out humanity, no matter what you may think.¡±


    ¡°Then, what did you come here for?¡± The man asked yet again, only to receive a cheeky grin from her.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you could ask only one question?¡± Though she spoke, the lips quickly fell down before him, with a dejected manner. ¡°Haa, do you remember Lutiel, the human from the festival?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he said quickly, unable to contain his veiled interest.


    ¡°We came for him, since we needed him in our kingdom, however, you should know how that ended already. Then again, we only realized it was him after his death, nineteen years after coming over,¡± with a tired tone, she spoke, much to the bewilderment of the man before her.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡®What? They wanted me all along?¡¯ His brows furrowed at the words, instantly falling into a strife of mind and body. ¡®Should I tell her I¡¯m him? No, no, but what if she¡¯s making all of this up? But she doesn¡¯t seem to be lying. Still, what if she used magic to conceal her lies, would I be able to tell?¡¯ His thoughts hastened up, coalescing to the point of heating up whilst grinding against one another.


    ¡°Lutiel? Is everything okay?¡± Her voice promptly brought him back to the space, softly brushing across his shoulders. Blinking at once, Lutiel quickly nodded his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, sorry,¡± he said with a quieter tone than usual. In the end, he couldn¡¯t reveal the truth.


    Staring at his eyes, which lowered themselves at the table, Zyponia thought through her blank face for a while, eventually opening her lips once again. However, before her voice could crawl out from the mouth, it drowned beneath the man¡¯s.


    ¡°Why did you stay, then? It also seems as though there are more of you here than what I can remember.¡± She quickly shut her face whilst visibly fidgeting around at the words. Stuck in her head, she waited for a few breaths, away from his eyes.


    Yet, she seemed to have finally made her decision. ¡°To look for a specific human. We couldn¡¯t get to Lutiel before Magon got his grasp of him, so we decided to settle for the next best one.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We looked for years for a human. The rest of the demon lords are searching even now, however, we haven¡¯t ever come close to one like you. There were a few special figures, but compared to you, they still lacked your ability to accustom yourself with magic,¡± she said, making him gleam with confusion.


    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re saying that-¡± he started speaking, but she quickly cut into him.


    ¡°Yes, what I¡¯m trying to say is that I want you to move back to my kingdom together with us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He uttered, the words falling out of his words absentmindedly. ¡°To move to your land? But, I would be abandoning the rest,¡± he muttered the thoughts out without knowing, swiftly glancing up at the speaking lady.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lutiel, but do you even have anywhere to go? You were hiding away in a cave, unlike the humans that flocked back to the imperial capital. I¡¯m also sorry to tell you this, but as your master, I will be bringing you with me regardless of your stance. It may seem ruthless, but we need you.¡±


    Silently, he stared at the demon lord¡¯s face, seeing her poor mood while telling him the news. ¡®As much as I don¡¯t want to admit it, she¡¯s right. I can¡¯t even escape her brand, not to mention find a new home in the capital,¡¯ he thought through lifeless eyes. ¡®But, going to a completely new land I have no idea about, full of demons? Leaving the rest of humans out to die? No, die? What if I succeed?¡¯


    ¡°Zyponia, if I were to be the right human for you, what would happen to Aseun?¡± He asked calmly, with a renewed look around his eyes.


    Smiling at the words and understanding him without a word more, she quickly unfolded the puzzle around him. ¡°We would go back to our kingdom. The rest of humanity would be left alone, naturally.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lutiel mumbled, shutting himself into his head. ¡®Would you forgive all of my sins at that time?¡¯ Asking as an image spread across his mind, he once again looked into her eyes. ¡°I will go. When are we leaving?¡± Changing his approach completely, he made her face fester into a smile.


    ¡°It will take a long time before we start our journey back home. First of all, you need to complete your training with the metals, as well as start working on your weapon.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any,¡± he interrupted, only to widen the smirk around her.


    ¡°You said you¡¯re fine with the sword, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± nodding away, his voice filled the table out.


    ¡°A friend of mine came here during the last voyage. Although she attended the ball, she was in a different part of the mansion when we arrived. Like every demon, she practises magic, however, she is also a sword master.¡±


    ¡°Will she be teaching me?¡± His voice coiled around her ears through somewhat widened eyes.


    ¡°Yes, your first session will start in four days from today. I meant to tell you later, but this little occasion has appeared,¡± she started speaking, with a somewhat eerie tongue near the end.


    Staring closely at her face, he waited for a while before the thought that sparked up matured fully. ¡°You planned this for a while already, haven¡¯t you? My talk with Raeyine was only an excuse, no?¡± He asked with dubious eyes, watching as the girl before him raised her glass, sipping heavily on the substance.


    ¡°Maybe? I was still a bit angry at you. The revolutionaires or the holy army, they all produce the same results, which is the death of their people. I can''t let you think about them.¡±


    ¡°But, they dealt a powerful blow at the ball,¡± he added, beginning to stir his fork through the plate once again. Slicing off a piece of the steak, he chewed it while listening.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but it was only because they had help from other demons.¡±


    ¡°What? How?¡± He blurted out after finishing eating, to which Zyponia replied with exasperated eyes.


    ¡°Haa, money, like always,¡± she said with a sigh, turning his eyes clearer.


    ¡°We really aren¡¯t that far apart, huh?¡± He mused momentarily, making her smile into a mellow laughter.


    ¡°I also used to think otherwise,¡± she said, beaming a smile. ¡°However, you made me realize the truth. No matter where I am, every one of you stares at me lecherously,¡± she spoke while looking at him weirdly, making his eyes quiver and brows furrow.


    Following Zyponia¡¯s escaping laughter, he quickly spoke back. ¡°Sorry, I never meant to look at you in any perverse manner,¡± he said while she raised an eyebrow, stopping her giggles.


    ¡°Really?¡± His body and face immured in place at the question, only intensifying at her next words. ¡°I found your glances around my chest somewhat heavy,¡± the girl spoke before taking another sip of the wine, all whilst the man seemed stuck frozen in place.


    However, he quickly began reciprocating. Opening his mouth to the busy girl, she stopped briskly, almost coughing at the sudden revelation. ¡°Is that so? But don¡¯t you also like staring at me? Camilla at least tries to glance at my muscles, you however-,¡± he kept talking, only to be swiftly interrupted by the girl.

 51. A Quiet Dance

    ¡°Ahh, stop! I only examine your body to feel for the energy flow, nothing else,¡± she said, quickly stifling his spry tongue. Yet, he continued regardless.


    ¡°Is that so? Is the most promising area of flow around the crotch?¡± Asking as he began to raise the glass, the girl emptied her wine swiftly, harshly placing it on the table before smearing away the alcohol around her lips.


    ¡°You,¡± she said, pointing at him with her index finger. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t see you trying to cop a feel while washing my body?¡± She asked, briskly reaching for the bottle of wine.


    ¡°You wanted me to do it in the first place,¡± Lutiel spoke back, swiftly drowning his mouth with the tangy wine, both of them turning silent at the course of events.


    Still, turning back to their normal faces soon enough, the duo began eating silently, slicing carefully through the meats and potatoes while sometimes reaching for the small pieces of soft, brown sphere of bread in the middle of the table.


    However, before half of the plate had been gone, he once again started talking. ¡°Was there a need for me to sneak the wines in? Rovier already saw me bringing them and besides, why should you care what your servants think about you?¡±


    Yet, seeing her smile, his eyebrows furrowed down slightly. ¡°I just wanted to see you do it, that was the actual punishment for your curiosity, hehe,¡± she giggled smilingly while the man¡¯s face turned somewhat in anger before calming back down.


    ¡°So they know about this date?¡±


    ¡°Date?¡± Before his question fully transferred to her ears, she only heard the word at the end, breaking loose completely. Her eyes glimmering, she stopped raising the glass and looked at him. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She mumbled slightly, the makeup around her cheeks intensifying. Quickly however, she refreshed her mien, coming back to the topic.


    ¡°Eh-ehem,¡± Zyponia added a quick cough, continuing briskly. ¡°Yes, they are aware of our little dinner, because that¡¯s what it is, but only Rovier and Raeyine, as she made the dishes herself.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± under the awkwardly tense silence, Lutiel spoke before promptly cutting away at the steak. Right against him, the demon followed his quiet approach, with her sight submerged in the half-full cup of red.


    However, she couldn¡¯t stand the solemnity that befell them, it seemed. Glancing at him, the lady revived her flowing tongue. ¡°Is the food to your liking?¡± Asking as the man stuffed his mouth with another piece of sauced potato, he chewed effortlessly before replying.


    ¡°It¡¯s the best I¡¯ve had since waking up,¡± he spoke all of a sudden, his eyes freezing in place at the slip up of his mouth. ¡®Fuck,¡¯ he uttered in his head, only to feel his heart calming down vehemently after hearing the girl chuckle with a vivid smile.


    ¡°I guess I could say the same, then. Don¡¯t worry though, I won¡¯t tell her you didn¡¯t like it that much,¡± she muttered discreetly, turning her face somewhat blank.


    ¡°Thank you, although the food is good, I¡¯m having a much better time just sitting in this atmosphere and talking,¡± he said with a softer approach, playing to her mind. Meanwhile, the girl¡¯s lips curved up at his words.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m glad, then,¡± she said, correcting a strand of hair that fell on the side of her face. ¡°I spent a while decorating the bedroom,¡± her tongue almost didn¡¯t move at all as she whispered. Yet, through a bright gleam around her eyes, she took a sip of the wine before looking at her dining partner.


    ¡°Actually, do you want to see something else?¡± She asked eagerly, as though it had been stuck on her mind.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed, omitting the piece of meat inside his mouth. And, almost immediately, his eyes opened wider while looking around the room, searching for the source of melody coming through.


    Even though he couldn¡¯t see any of them, the instruments played out faintly in the distance, two distinct ones catching his ears¡¯ focus. Gracing each side of his head daintily, the piano and what reminded him of a violin forged into a melodious harmony. Easing their time together, he only wondered why she hadn¡¯t shown it to him earlier.


    Though, finishing the first glass of the sharp wine, his mind veered off once he saw her move up from the chair. Staring as she came up to him, he blurted out inwardly as his right arm had been prodded. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Feeling the soft strength around his forearm, he swiftly let his body go along with his lady.


    ¡°What are you doing all of a sudden?¡± He asked calmly, as they stepped haphazardly through the room, only for her head to turn around.


    ¡°Do you not want me to touch you?¡± His eyes shaking as the question poured into his head, Zyponia smiled knowingly. ¡°So, let me lead the way,¡± she said, her head already back to the previous position.


    And, within a few steps, he looked around the half-lit space they found themselves inside, staring at the dim, shadowy features of the girl in front of him. Before he could even process the actions, her hands grabbed his elbows and maneuvered the man about like a doll.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Placing his right hand against the side of her left breast, she grabbed him by the shoulder. The other arm, she entwined their hands together before stretching it out to the side.


    Through their soft grasp of each other, the music blended into their rhythm, making the man look at her with a thinking gaze while the duo stepped against the carpeted floor.


    ¡°You could have just said you wanted to dance, you know?¡± He said while the girl stared directly ahead of her, locking herself with the purple eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as exciting then, is it?¡± She replied as they slowly kept on moving to the instruments, even if some of the steps turned hesitant.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to meddle with your ways, so let¡¯s just dance,¡± although with a reserved tone and his straight face, the voice landed gently across her face, a meek smile adorning it.


    Both wandering from side to side unskillfully, they didn¡¯t wish to hasten or better their stances, simply clinging close to each other. ¡°You know,¡± she started anew, almost whispering to his face. ¡°I wanted to share a dance with you at the ball, but that happened.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that look bad? What sort of master dances with their slave?¡± He asked, only to receive a snorting cackle.


    ¡°Believe me, they do things that are a lot worse than an innocent dance,¡± she said, only to change her expression into a somewhat stern one. ¡°Though, even if they dance, they don¡¯t kiss on every occasion.¡±


    Immediately, he recalled the stabbing glances he received whilst with Luviene under her look. ¡°So you could see through her magic?¡±


    ¡°Oh please, she let me see you two deliberately. She¡¯s really the bane of me,¡± the lady muttered with a distant peer, only to check back onto the man.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, but she forced me into kissing her, again,¡± he reminded, only for a smile to unveil around the demon¡¯s face.


    ¡°I know dummy, I was just joking. Let¡¯s just forget about ourselves for tonight, okay? That would be the best for either side, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, hmm?¡± Nodding, he spoke before quickly halting himself, hearing as something cut through the room. Turning his head to the side, a flash passed his eyes under the murky surroundings, following it quickly, to where Zyponia¡¯s face had been.


    Floating inertly through the air, as though submerged in a viscous liquid, a metal key glistened faintly through the sparse lights. Immediately as he witnessed the object, Lutiel hesitated in his dance completely, the girl following his reactions and retrieving the arms around him.


    Grabbing upon the key, her right arm moved through the space swiftly, arriving right under his chin. On the base of his neck, she hovered her hand, placing the key in the keyhole around the collar.


    Firmly settling it inside, she twisted and turned the key, following with a brisk, clicking noise overlapping the instruments. Lay loosely across his neck, the collar was grabbed by the lady, quickly thrown and forgotten about towards the lightless parts of the bedroom. Letting the key back to where it previously was, Zyponia swiftly stared at the serious face of the man.


    Slowly, she moved her glance down, towards where his neck had become outlined with the collar. Using her fingers, she gently caressed the man¡¯s pale skin, her palm holding to him for a while. Though, as he landed his own hand over her fingers, she spoke again.


    ¡°Like I said, let¡¯s forget about our circumstances for now,¡± her voice drifted quickly towards him, the man firming his grip around her hand. Slowly, he moved his fingers between hers, knotting them together before the duo resumed their stance about the floor, flowing beneath the tongue of strings.


    Dancing through the room silently and letting their sheer presence fill out the other¡¯s mind, their bodies talked instead. Simply listening to the tunes of their hastened hearts, Lutiel walked faster with each rotation in the space, and the girl followed right after.


    Their hairs started to sway at some point, the music begging to adjust for their steps, hastening as they turned and turned.


    The two weren¡¯t focused on their own body, letting themselves be consumed in the moment, another move simply appearing instead of being meticulously prepared.


    Gazing into the other¡¯s eyes constantly, locked in place, the two started to slowly glisten from the strain put across the flesh. The beatings in their hearts increased while their chests heaved up and down faster than before, all to veil the need to stop for just a moment.


    They simply couldn¡¯t do it. Continuing to move daintily along the carpet, caring little for the fluidity and complexity of their style, Lutiel and Zyponia glued themselves to one another.


    Though, of course, as the beads of sweat started to drip and fling away from their sudden movements, as they harshened their appearances, they finally needed for the moment to end. Turning around, Lutiel quickly stepped forward with the left foot, lowering the right arm to hold her back, he leaned forward.


    Staggering backwards, she never fell, calmly supported by the man above her. Standing in the position, both let their breaths be known, gasping for it while their gazes wandered lost in the eyes ahead of them.


    Quickly however, before his sweat tainted her face, Lutiel raised them two from the position, taking himself away from the girl and standing there.


    ¡°That was great, Lutiel, thank you,¡± she spoke through the roughened breath, a broad smile caressing her mouth. Though, before he could even state his words, he looked at her stretching out the arms whilst turning to the side.


    Carefully, yet swiftly, the glasses flew through the room, arriving in a breath before her arms. Then, he glanced at the wine coming by from the back, already opening itself to fill out the sole empty glass.


    Equalling the liquids before the bottle was freed from holding any alcohol, it flew out into the darkness. At the same time, she handed over his glass, adding a remark before guiding the wine towards her lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to replenish fluids,¡± she said, eagerly enjoying the substance. On the other hand, the man simply shook his head in response. Though, he still took the glass, along with a minute taste of the drink.


    However, creasing the eyebrows, he looked down at it, promptly taking a larger swig to accommodate his surprising desires. ¡®It¡¯s even better than before,¡¯ he said to himself, only to catch something moving the corner of his eyes.


    Looking as Zyponia started walking back towards their table, the girl waved her head at him after seeing him stand still. ¡°The food¡¯s getting colder, you know?¡±

 52. Come Inside, Together 1

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s magic on it to keep the heat from going away,¡± he gave a sudden remark, in turn making her face stop and look at him once again, somewhat surprised. ¡°The basket with potatoes had it, at least,¡± he added, to which she simmered down.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Enough for you?¡± She asked instead, with a vaguely raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Ah, of course, let¡¯s finish the meal,¡± he said, staggering slightly before following her.


    In a few steps, he quickly joined the lady who already sat down. Only resuming her dinner as he placed himself comfortably around the fair cloth, he did the same, starting to steadily eat the warm contents atop the plate.


    Eating away as the music played, it didn¡¯t take both of them too long to finish the rest of it, even the thick sticks of bread going away. So, they eagerly went towards the next bottle, having finished both of their glasses at nearly the same time.


    Pour after pour, as their breaths lingered around the place, their hearts seemed to hesitate in calming down, the skin glistening repeatedly under the direct light from above. Though, they didn¡¯t care, refilling their fluids constantly.


    Pressing the dirty rims of her glass against her smeared lips, Zyponia looked down at the glass, her vision swirling ever so faintly. Turning to the side, she looked at the opened, second bottle, lying against the white cloth dropped. A red droplet tainted the table, nothing left inside the glass.


    Then, she looked ahead of herself, at the man fidgeting around with his tie, sweat covering his forehead. Biting herself on the corner of her lips, she kept thinking for a while, eventually deciding to finally stand up. However, having done so a bit too quickly, she stumbled , swiftly catching herself by the arms of the chair.


    Again, looking at the man that tried to move and help her, she released a collected breath, directed solely at him. ¡°We¡¯re a bit drenched, aren¡¯t we?¡± She said, careful not to slip under the heavy sight across.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, raising his eyebrows lazily.


    ¡°Lutiel, do you want to wash up?¡± She suggested with an inviting face, which made the man contort a bewildered expression. Still, pondering on it not too long after feeling the clinging sweat, he raised his voice along with his body.


    ¡°Eh, why not?¡± He spoke whilst Zyponia nodded with a shy smile, grabbing onto her glass along with the unopened bottle. Following in her ways despite wondering why, Lutiel also took hold of his glass before wandering into the allure of darkness surrounding them.


    Closely by her figure, a few steps behind the girl, he walked all the way towards the doors. Keeping the eyes glued upon the lady, he didn¡¯t miss any of her movements. With an invisible prod along the entrance since her hands were kept busy, the wood opened inwardly without any assistance, closing away only when he left the space.


    Through the crystal lamps intermittently illuminating the corridor, they walked through perturbation, sometimes staggering before a rash step unfolded to correct their balance. The occurrence was still rare under their mostly straight gait, but nevertheless, they helped each other once their partner walked too confidently.


    Before long, with the glass in his right hand, he watched the smudgy, pale door in front of him, only to gaze to the lady¡¯s side. ¡°Please go first, I will wash after-,¡± he said with a stable tongue, however, it quickly rolled back as Zyponia¡¯s finger disturbed the softness of his lips.


    Looking at him with a somewhat solemn glance, her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She asked, clearly agitated. ¡°Come inside, together.¡± She emphasized at the end. ¡°We can¡¯t waste water like that.¡±


    Although a bewildered expression fiddled along his face, Lutiel didn¡¯t question it for long, his ears ringing with the hinges playing out. Staring ahead as her backside wriggled inside the bathroom of her floor, he followed inside before a muggy breath started assaulting him, along with the sound of gushing fluid splashing and scattering inside the steaming bath.


    However, forgetting to take focus in the tub that started to fill itself up before they had gone inside, he instead kept his attention around the chime from the side. Putting the bottle and glass on the floor, she promptly stepped ahead, stopping in place as the straps atop her shoulders came loose.


    Using her hands to remove them, they flowed down by themselves once the dress began to skid across her skin, interrupted softly by her bottom, which promptly revealed itself before the man.


    Sewn through a dark purple, lace fabric, strikingly in contrast to her skin, he couldn¡¯t help peering through the bitty gaps along the surface. Though, thankfully for the servant, he wasn¡¯t able to see anything from the position she placed herself to him.


    Yet, as the head churned continuously, it stopped all of a sudden, the eyes reflecting Zyponia¡¯s bare figure, the undergarments dropping down together with the dress. Lutiel turned his head away quickly, his eyelids wrinkling after shutting them tight.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    However, beneath the sound of rash liquid, he swiftly heard a rousing laughter spread, directly reverberating inside his ears. Though, still with a closed face, he didn¡¯t move in the slightest, simply imagining her naked body moving together with the steps she was swiftly making.


    ¡°You can open your eyes now,¡± she said meekly amongst the flow of water, making him follow the words. No longer envisioning the world ahead of him, Lutiel stared back at the tub, only to see the girl¡¯s purple hairs flow down her chest to cover certain areas, dampened near their ends.


    Sat along the side of the tub, she easily faced the man the girl walked in here with. ¡°What are you waiting for? Come inside,¡± she said, only fueling the concern both inside and outside of him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a good idea, I will just wait outside,¡± he spoke back, already headed over for the handle, only to realize that the door didn¡¯t budge in the slightest, somehow shut from beyond.


    With a giddy smile around her face that he could witness once turning back, he simply sighed at her next words. ¡°Just hop inside and wash yourself,¡± she said ever so casually, but the man, despite the alcohol coursing through his heart, remained somewhat rational.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he muttered, however, before he could even feel it, the buttons around attire popped out on their own, anywhere they were. Meanwhile, the belt around his pants started to unravel away from the loops.


    Looking down at the image with sprawled out arms, the jacket started to give way from his body. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale deeply in the end, swiftly helping the magical hand. Turning around for his back to face Zyponia, he easily got rid of the fabric lying on him, from the jacket down to shirt, they all quickly fell upon the tiled floor, soon surrounded by the rest of the costume and the glass sitting there.


    Almost fully naked, he tossed the shoes away with his feet, getting rid of the socks as well before briskly moving his hands down around his groin, covering the flesh trying to spill out, with varying effects. Nevertheless, mostly covered, he turned around before witnessing his lady practically glaring at his crotch, only stopping when she seemed to have reminded herself and moved the sight up to his chest.


    Arriving briskly near the metallic tub, he didn¡¯t wait much to submerge himself in the waters, on the side near the faucet. Although it wasn¡¯t frantically large, the bath still easily fitted the two of them once they crossed their legs. With only the feet touching, there was still an empty area in the middle while looking through the translucent waters, nothing added into the waters.


    The two of them could witness nearly all, especially the man. Unlike the hiding him, the lady in front didn¡¯t really try to cover anything, yet she always looked into his eyes once he traveled down to the purple area around her secret parts.


    Instead, she mostly focused on the bottle of wine she placed near the running faucet, along with the two glasses. Having already transported his glass, Zyponia didn¡¯t wait long before indulging. Since most of the bath had been filled out, a peaceful quietness resounded in the room while the faucet died out.


    And once it did, a new source of a stream took over the place, the opened bottle of wine emptying its contents down to the glass.


    Yet, this time, there was no care in measures, simply eyeing the alcohol to split it evenly across the two people. Tossing it back to the corner where darkness encroached similarly to her bedroom, the bottle didn¡¯t ring out as if it shattered. No noise ever came back from its landing.


    Quickly looking back ahead of herself, Zyponia took both of the nearly full glasses before handing Lutiel¡¯s one to him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he uttered slowly, glancing subtly at the glass full of deep red substance. The girl in front of him didn¡¯t hesitate, already taking a swig out of it, seemingly prompting him to do the same. No longer as sharp around the tongue, it flowed smoothly down his throat before he reluctantly took his lips off the rims.


    Exhaling slightly, he quickly looked ahead of him, following the bead of sweat rolling down Zyponia¡¯s nose before bending the water''s surface. The promptly rosy tint around her face from all the alcohol she had delivered to her system seemed to only intensify beneath the warm bath.


    Flushed with a brisk red as well, Lutiel wasn¡¯t spared from the reactions, fighting off the glimmering waves around his vision with pure thoughts. Nevertheless, staring at the girl that sipped the glass silently, his eyes lingered around the soft lips bending from cushioning the glass. No longer covering his special area with both hands, he sipped occasionally with the marked one, glancing constantly at his lady.


    Of course, despite her focus on the drink, she wasn¡¯t so oblivious as to not notice his intense glare. So, stopping suddenly, she parted the lips he stared so much at. ¡°Do you like looking at me?¡± She asked clearly, yet the question made him linger for a while, his mind fumbling from the abruptness.


    ¡°Eh? Ah, why do you ask?¡± He couldn¡¯t ask calmly, hesitating himself before the brash tongue.


    ¡°Why? I like looking at you, so I wondered if you¡¯re the same,¡± she said with a coy smile around her, awaiting a response while some of the wine drifted off into her mouth.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, somewhat fuddled at the words. ¡°You like looking at me, my lady? Why?¡± The question drilled itself within her ears, his troubled image bouncing off the waters in her eyes.


    ¡°Yes, you say? I¡¯m glad,¡± she spoke softly, looking deeply into him whilst smiling brightly. ¡°If you want your answers, how about you give you a question as well? It¡¯s a fair deal, don¡¯t you think?¡± She spoke to him, quickly receiving a nod from the front.


    ¡°I¡¯m first, then. I guess your image was partly why I bought you, along with the strength you boasted,¡± she said, suffocating him in puzzlement.


    ¡°Image? My face, you mean?¡± He asked to make sure, her head going up and down subtly to confirm his doubts.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure the demons in town send you so many glares not because you¡¯re a slave, but from your handsome face,¡± she spoke with a light smile before quickly continuing. ¡°Now, it''s my turn for a question. Which part of me do you like looking at?¡± She asked straight to the point, with a grin garnering most of her beauty.


    Immediately, she put the man into a stun, giggling at his boggled face. However, seeing as he couldn¡¯t decide, she quickly lowered her eyesight down to a certain part of herself before grasping the long hairs covering the chest. ¡°Let me help you,¡± she spoke whilst uncovering the sight of her bare nipples, glaring at him with their cusped, rounded ends.

 53. Come Inside, Together 2

    Immuring in place, the man with his half-emptied glass stopped responding. Yet, he constantly looked at the solely revealed breast on the right, the sight glimmering across his eyes.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He muttered all of a sudden, seeing as her body flinched closer to him.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t given me an answer, Lutiel,¡± she spoke momentarily before looking at the object peeking out through the waters, unbeknownst to the man himself. With a smile, she didn¡¯t hesitate to put away the cup before moving her body further out. ¡°Hmm? What is this thing?¡± She asked humorously, a pending smile finally appearing through the enthralled face.


    Although he briskly noticed his awakened erection slipping past his hand, the man didn¡¯t seem too stressed about the matter, looking at his lady crawling ever so closer towards his member, constantly keeping her attention around it.


    Looking abruptly at the glass of wine in his right hand, something pulled it away from him before the alcohol settled next to the other, beside the faucet.


    Meanwhile, taking his eyes back to what was happening in front of him, he stared as Zyponia sat a whisker away from him. Her knees plummeted down on his calves, anchoring him in place and getting closer as she sat on her knees. Similar to his member, the breasts were no longer covered, all of the obscene shades displayed right in front of the other.


    Despite that, while his eyes drifted off around them, she constantly studied his fully standing penis, which reached from his hips to the glans sticking out right above the navel, making her eyes widen slightly at the sight. Before long, her curiosity got the entirety of her, the blue arm of hers disturbing the waters and arriving towards the shaft standing proudly right at her, the tip peeping out fully from the wrinkly skin.


    ¡°I guess you like looking at them after all,¡± she mumbled, neither listening to the words. Even Zyponia seemed more focused on the matters around her right arm rather than the words. Finally, she halted any thoughts that lingered within her mind when the hand cut through the warm waters, swiftly arriving towards his other head.


    Sprawling the finger and palm around, she clenched her grip slightly, glancing with curious eyes down at the firm yet spongy, pale pink flesh. Squishing, grabbing, or simply prodding at it, she played with his thing, omitting the frisky gaze he had been dropping around her chest. No, rather, glancing sporadically at his lascivious eyes, she started to lower her right hand faster, smirking faintly in the meantime.


    ¡°Ah,¡± the man groaned silently, quickly biting himself on the lips as the girl¡¯s possession around his penis intensified. Caressing the tough piece of flesh brimming with blood as his heart incessantly pumped harder and harder, her soft touch around the skin made his lungs drop.


    However, as weak as the moan of his was, she still found it amusing, very much so. Coming closer with her hand still in grasp of his member, her knees pinched down on his thighs. Leaning forward, she barely stopped her nipples from grazing his pecs. Nevertheless, having come so far, Zyponia¡¯s sticky breath quickly engulfed the man¡¯s earlobe.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± She asked, pressing almost directly against the earlobe, threatening for her tongue to pervade within. Yet, the voice resounding instantly, the face briskly flinched to his lady¡¯s side. Before anything could come out of him, he only whispered more groans as Zyponia¡¯s hand rummaged for the intricacies around his genitalia.


    Slowly, she grazed his cock through the waters, her graceful touch melting his thoughts. Though, as if battling through, with a heavy breath, he finally opened her lips. ¡°Yes. I like it,¡± he replied, staring constantly as she took her head away to stare deeply into his eyes. Her lips and eyes smiling silently as his member twitched with an abrupt ferocity beneath her gentle tending.


    ¡°You can touch them if you want, you know? I will feel left out if it¡¯s only me doing the work,¡± she spoke with a slightly pouting, but almost coy voice. Immediately utilizing his arms, Lutiel extended them towards the fleshy mounds hanging daintily from her chest.


    Staring at the pinkish, almost violet shade of her blue nipples, he couldn¡¯t help but grasp the breasts roughly, barely stopping himself before the lady yelped out.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s too harsh!¡± She exclaimed, making him grunt as well when his tip had been pinched between her thumb and finger tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it,¡± he replied quickly, with a hesitant tone that didn¡¯t suit his calm face. Nevertheless, he nimbly resumed playing with her unveiled chest, palming the areola before gripping the fleshy sponges swiftly springing back from his forces.


    Releasing quiet mutterings of heightened breathing as well, Zyponia couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows while looking down. As soon as he started to tinker with her chest, brushing ever so faintly through her sensitive spots with the firmed palms, the area she was grasping with her hand started to bulge up meekly before stopping.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite big, aren¡¯t you?¡± She asked the man while feeling the surrounding grip of her fingers around his erection, almost fully closed. Of course, she didn¡¯t expect him to answer in the slightest, and the silence proved her right.


    However, the lady widened her eyes whilst voicing a whimper. ¡°Ngh~!¡± A moan crawled out of her mouth suddenly, the stomach and right hand clenching vaguely.


    Staring down, she found the culprit behind her sweetened voice effortlessly. No longer so feral or avaricious in his attempts, Lutiel¡¯s hands focused on the round, pointed parts of her breasts. Putting the pinkish nipple between his fingertips, he pinched on them lightly before immediately gaining a reaction, both from her mouth, as well as the area itself.


    Tightening up against his touch, the nipple along with the areola shriveled in thrill.


    Placing his index fingers against the cusped nipples, he began flicking both of them gently, almost teasingly brushing past them with his fingers, much to the elation of the girl, who began to speed up against his penis.


    Both moaning underneath the other¡¯s ploys, Zyponia stared right into his eyes before gaining his attention. Caressing each other, they imminently hesitated before stopping completely, looking at the one in front of them.


    With practically the same in mind, Lutiel put his hands around her lower back, feeling his way along her backside before swiftly pulling her closer, finding it quite easy as the girl began doing the same. Moving closer towards him, her face flared up slightly whilst feeling his cock stab around her stomach. The breasts pressed against the man¡¯s chest, their excited nipples digging through the other¡¯s soft skin.


    Nevertheless, no longer grasping on their partner¡¯s special areas, Lutiel grabbed her butt while she surrounded his nape with her embrace, the two eagerly inching closer as they stared upon the plump lips ahead of them.


    Closing their eyes just a hair away, the slave and master swiftly met with the lips, moving through the other¡¯s face with a fervent, almost uncaring desire. All over his face, Zyponia had become enthralled by his reciprocating lips, to the point that she tried to imbue her tongue deep within his mouth.


    However, before her actions could become true, they pushed away from each other, longing for a deep breath while a string of saliva fell down after bridging their lips together. With a pause no longer than needed to refill their lungs, the sounds of splashes reenacted once again, ones harsher than the water splashing along the bath¡¯s edges.


    They kept kissing for as long as their breaths gave them the will to. Smooching in the bath as she sat on his lap, the man¡¯s boner raged against her more ferociously than ever before. However, losing themselves in the other¡¯s face, Zyponia stopped surrounding herself against him, grabbing the sides of his face with her hands instead before pushing even deeper into him, almost as though she tried to devour the slave.


    Grazing her tongue around his for as long as she could, finally, she stopped and pulled away, only for her heart to beat relentlessly. After a deep breath, they started to resume the actions once again, however, slightly different this time. Instead of simply sitting by and letting her do most of the work, Lutiel began to move.


    He grasped her buttcheeks tightly before they could begin exploring their tempting mouths anew, holding her body up as Lutiel started to change his position around the bath. Laying the lady back on her side of the tub, under the girl¡¯s somewhat staggered expression, she didn¡¯t deny his approach, pulling his face into hers instead.


    Changing the routine once again, he began to suck her bottom lip for a brief moment, only to go up in his flow and unearth her tongue, both of them entwined and stuck almost to the point of no separation. Sneakily, while he worked with his lips, his hands no longer supported his master¡¯s backside, hovering around the breasts instead.


    Grabbing and pulling onto the left breast while playing with the right¡¯s nipple, he blocked her attempts to release the moans, only intangible sounds escaping the back of her throat while her legs started to fidget around him.


    ¡°Haa, haa,¡± breathing suddenly, he took his tongue out, the connected saliva dissipating quickly after falling down his chest. She, as well, faltered to breathe correctly while staring at him with her pink eyes.


    However, before he could move down towards her face again, she started to crawl up the tub, pulling herself with her arms grasping the edge of the bath. ¡°Stand up,¡± her voice trailed out, to which the smitten ears quickly followed. Listening to her clear, yet slightly quivering voice, he stood up, the water promptly dripping down his skin back to the tub, along with the one across his erection.


    Hailing to the ceiling, she stared up at the penis forming a shadow around her face, from the chin all the way to her forehead before almost veiling the gleaming look around her eyes.


    Slowly, but surely, Zyponia started to gain heights around the space, settling herself on her knees and sitting on the calves whilst peering at the striking vision in front of her.


    Grabbing the raging cock falling directly upon her face, her smile started to widen as she put her forearm close to the thing he was hiding beneath his attire.


    It only needed her pinky¡¯s length from the wrist to fully cover her forearm, at least in length. As wide as her two largest fingers put together and a bit more, she finally stopped comparing it to herself, instead pulling the skin away from the glans, only to retract her motions, gently. All while the dark hole around the tip invited herself near the eyes. Smiling as she kept staring at his delighted expression, the sound of his gasps only made the girl ever more ardent to keep stroking his member.


    Out of nowhere, her eyes opened up fully as his feet staggered through the place, sticking his dick in her nose lightly before quickly adjusting back to the previous position. However, under his lusting face, he didn¡¯t even speak his apologies, not that it mattered to the girl. Smirking as she brought her face closer to his urethra, she sniffed the faintly lingering smell, almost drowning herself in the vague, musky scent.


    Nevertheless, sticking it close to her face before squishing the glans, she increased her pace under the man¡¯s puffs of pleasure, her free hand beginning to trail down the stomach, quickly arriving near the place he couldn¡¯t witness fully because of his member.

 54. The Next Day 1

    Her eyes quivering as she lingered on the brink of ecstasy, Zyponia didn¡¯t hesitate to raise the speed on him once again, the sweet moaning of his only adding to her rapture.


    Though, as she felt the prodding rod around her palm beginning to tense up while twitching, she quickly stopped pleasuring herself, instead glancing up at his face that didn¡¯t try to veil his emotions anymore, falling to the depths of bliss.


    Focusing her sight around the tip, she saw as the hole started to gather up a viscous, limpid substance, not hesitating to spread it across her finger. Using her left hand to stroke around the base of his cock, she used the smeared finger of her right hand to tease the frenulum and the underside of his glans, promptly seeing as the man¡¯s abs started to clench up.


    No, the whole of his being started to firm up as she went slightly to the side, seeing as a pale, white liquid of a sticky consistency started to travel away from the tip.


    In a powerful arch all the way behind her, he breathed harshly as he released his load, leaving some around the girl¡¯s face. However, unlike his premonition, she didn¡¯t behave disgusted or revolted towards it. Instead, she scooped his remains around her fingers before bringing it closer to her mouth and tasting the substance.


    ¡°As I thought, even your cum is special,¡± she said, eating all of the goopy substance before licking her fingers clean. ¡°It¡¯s sweet, and full of energy,¡± she added before smiling again, seeing as his member started to rise up again from the light remarks.


    ¡°Well, I would love to do it again, but,¡± Zyponia lingered near the end, waiting to speak out, however, her voice was quickly drowned by the man.


    ¡°Let me do it now,¡± he said before her smile blossomed further. ¡°How do you want me to do it?¡± He asked before a comforting silence reverberated the space. Suddenly, Zyponia became all bashful as she pointed down at herself.


    ¡°Could you lick me?¡± She asked softly, her face flaring up somewhat and restraining to glance at his face any longer. However, her eyes promptly widened before her head vehemently turned towards him, questioning his actions. Scooping the girl¡¯s legs from below, he raised Zyponia above the water¡¯s surface, only for her to briskly catch herself against the bath¡¯s rims.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked momentarily, only to quiver beneath his sultry breath. Feeling his hot mouth around her sensitive area, she clenched her teeth, as well as the hands and feet around the tub¡¯s edges.


    Tightening her grasp, her lower body flung up ever so slightly from his sudden indulgence, however, she couldn¡¯t really move anywhere because he supported her. So, staying in the position, she had been at his mercy, though it didn¡¯t seem like the girl tried to fight. ¡°Haa, nghh,¡± she moaned, the man unable to hear it because of the focus he portrayed.


    Hastening under his diligent care, her loud breathing with occasional whimpers started to mold towards the latter. Not veiling any of her soft sweet moans suspended in an air of arousal anymore, the melody only strengthened the tight feeling around his groin.


    Closing her eyes to experience the feeling even more, she couldn¡¯t watch his antics anymore. With agile and swift motions, he rocked his tongue up and down, pressing his lips around her lower ones, opening the entrance meekly. Still, despite the sounds she began releasing from his actions, Lutiel suddenly felt the area above his right wrist lit up, stuck below the girl¡¯s left shoulder.


    ¡®The glyph¡­¡¯ he thought to himself, lightly raising an eyebrow while halting the movement a bit, her voice consequently lowering itself. ¡®Hmm? I should focus on the top of the vulva, huh?¡¯ He wondered while the mark itched at him, reflecting brightly on the waters with two of the streaks glowing.


    Pulling away from her genitals and immediately getting a fast reaction from the top, he came to a halt before glancing at her forbidden place. ¡°Why have you stopped?¡± She asked after a moment, however, no reply came out of him, at least quickly.


    Looking at the slightly spread apart, pinkish violet labia, he didn¡¯t ponder too much about the opening, instead following upwards to glance at the rounded, protruding part near the top of the demon¡¯s pussy. Before long, he already lowered his mouth around her vagina once again, this time receiving a somewhat halted reaction.


    Gasping tightly as he flicked the firm, minute ball around that connected the sprawling lips on the top, he suddenly sucked onto it, getting a brisk, high-pitched shriek flowing from the lady, followed by countless breaths lingering with lust.


    ¡°Ghhaa!¡± She screamed again as the man danced his tongue around her clitoris and pussy, sploshing sounds reverberating through the space while her lower body started to drench up from his advances.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Faster than ever, he continuously brushed his tongue against the clit and vulva, under the three streaks that hid themselves from her closed vision. Zyponia couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes shut. Her body convulsing under his licking and devouring, she could only express herself through the throat, yet even then, she slowly hesitated as something started to wash over her.


    Tightening her limbs and lower stomach involuntarily, the skin tightened with goosebumps when a nippy sensation started to pour over, followed by an indescribable warmth from below. ¡°Nghhhh-¡± her tongue trailed off, flowing into a continuous moan before quickly heightening as he kissed her vagina harshly. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± Zyponia screamed, unlike the steamy breaths she kept releasing. Tightening her stomach, suddenly, she half-opened her eyes, staring at the glimmering crystal, unable to focus correctly from the pleasure.


    She couldn¡¯t even hear and feel as the stream of water she released started to fill the man¡¯s mouth, some of it getting to his stomach before engulfing his face in her love juices. Weakening eventually, the powerful force around her lips turned into a continuous spurt of low pressure, as though she simply needed to relieve herself.


    Yet, constantly doing it at the man, he didn¡¯t back away from the feeling. Rather, he enjoyed seeing her release the flow, as well as the reactions it made him have. Looking down at the veiny member of his, brimming with so much blood it started to hurt, he couldn¡¯t help but look at her when she finally fell down to the waters on her own. Heaving up and down incessantly, her chest perfectly described whatever she felt at the moment.


    Looking at the man with a somewhat exhausted expression, it definitely underlined her satisfaction, a small smirk around her lips as she stared at his raised cock. Though, seeing it move quickly, she also felt his tip prod towards the entrance, making her frown in pleasure. However, she decisively parted her lips whilst grabbing onto his stiffened erection. ¡°We can¡¯t, not yet,¡± the girl spoke with a calm, soft tone as she once again neared his ears.


    Swiftly kissing his lips, he couldn¡¯t be disappointed, feeling the swift movements of her right hand play out along his shaft and glans. Starting to lean back towards his side of the tub, she made him sit on its verge, using both hands to jerk her slave off. Yet, as the few minutes of her movements passed, she didn¡¯t hesitate to take on the semen he spurted out, covering her face with all of it. Dripping down her lips and cheeks, she licked off most that she could, almost as though thirsting for his liquids.


    Before long, they quickly stepped outside of the bath before lying down on the warmed tiles, the man eating her master once again, letting her spray her waters in a similar time she needed to pull his semen out.


    Lingering along the floor and the bath intermittently, they couldn¡¯t help themselves but stay inside for a bit longer.


    ¡­


    Creeping through the windows with little care for the inhabitants, the light swooped the room briskly, illuminating the extensive space instantly. However, with its intentions clear, it still couldn¡¯t awaken the one it wished for, veiled behind the deeply red curtains.


    Though, some of the plan still worked, the rays permeating through the material whilst taking on its bright verve and painting Zyponia¡¯s unblemished face with bloody shadows of the wavy curtains.


    The nose and eyebrows flinching ever so slightly, her pink eyes gleamed under the luminous grace, staring at the fine fabric falling loosely onto her from the top, stopping nowhere near her body.


    She kept glancing ahead of herself, almost with a dead look smitten within her eyes, however, as she suddenly widened her eyes, all of her features scrunched up, grimacing before nimbly crumpling the duvet atop her body.


    Sitting up promptly, she quickly covered her face before sighing deeply, muffled grunts coming out of her as the images of last night circled around in her head. ¡°Haaaa, what the hell have I done? Zyponia un Afiern, are you out of your mind?¡± She asked herself while constantly keeping the hands around her face.


    ¡°She will kill me if she finds out. Ahh, who am I kidding? She would be elated,¡± murmuring under her nose and hands, she finally let her arms loose, falling down to the bedding while her somewhat rosy face came to light.


    ¡°Ugh, we really did it, huh?¡± Although she asked, Zyponia was aware of the things playing out after the bath. Putting the collar back on him, nothing else happened. Yet, staring at the past, she once again put the hands around her face before looking down at the non existent ground, shaking her head incessantly at the thoughts in the murky parts of her brain.


    ¡°What am I even thinking of? This will never happen again, I will make sure it won¡¯t,¡± declaring while looking out beneath the sparse gap of the curtains, she finally uncovered her body from the duvet.


    With a blank face devoid of any emotions, she stared at her naked self, taking in all of the dim, almost purple spots around her breasts sparingly, immediately recalling as Lutiel sucked on her skin.


    Quickly, with speedy feet, she opened her wardrobe before a set of her pink undergarments flew through the room, arriving into her grasp as they met in the bedroom¡¯s center. Putting her panties on first, she promptly set on the bra. Then, having already summoned it near her, the light pink dress started to crawl along her body from above, clinging wonderfully to her slender figure.


    Before long, she flipped her hair over to fall down her back, dressing up before her lady maid could ever discover the truths covering her body. And, as soon as the doors of the wardrobe fell to orderly silence, with the duvet faintly disturbed atop the bed, she turned towards the doors, where the ringing of knocks spoiled her ears.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Zyponia spoke through the mess around her face, quickly putting on a solemn mien before the person could even unravel her image along their eyes.

 55. The Next Day 2

    Immediately as her voice traveled through the space, the doors opened and a certain woman revealed herself, in the same uniform and hairstyle she always wore. Staring through the chained glasses, Raeyine walked inside before closing the doors behind her. Though, she halted herself suddenly, staring at the girl with incredulous eyes.


    ¡°What happened? Why are you all dressed up? No, you tidied up everything, this isn¡¯t you,¡± with a doubtful approach, the girl prodded at her lady, only to receive a strange stare from the front.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± With a casual face and tone, the girl asked her maid. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, I just had time to spare so I cleaned after myself.


    ¡°Am I supposed to believe that? Are you still pretending to be a young lady after almost three decades?¡± Not very amused, she fished for answers whilst beginning to step closer to Zyponia¡¯s reserved expression.


    Regardless, the girl didn¡¯t abate under her attempts. Rolling her eyes slightly, she spoke anew. ¡°It¡¯s always the same dialogue, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m not hiding anything from you,¡± she spoke with a calm tone, however, her eyebrow twitched suddenly after seeing Raeyine¡¯s face.


    Having come a few steps over, she finally stopped, having witnessed changes around the lady¡¯s skin. Glancing near the jaw, on the side of the neck, she saw the bruised skin, looking scarily similar to when a person sucked on the area too harshly.


    ¡°I see,¡± she said, changing from the questioning face to one that cornered on happiness. Following quickly beneath Zyponia¡¯s widened eyes, she briskly stepped to the side. ¡°It seems you had a wonderful time yesterday. And judging from how your skin is practically glowing, he must have satisfied you plenty,¡± she followed on dreamingly, grasping her cheeks with her pale gray hands. Dodging the light blue, translucent ball that flowed through the space at the same time, she continued to imagine her lady¡¯s date.


    Sprawling out her right arm to attack the girl with her magic, Zyponia lowered her eyelids, glaring at the girl with anger, however, the look around her face only prompted the other party to cackle away.


    ¡°Hmm? What, am I wrong?¡± She asked, quickly stepping forward and eluding her water strikes before grasping upon her body tightly. Even though she tried to get away in a timely manner, Raeyine still caught the lord, smiling friskily before turning around and grabbing her breasts. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± she uttered in slight shock. ¡°Is he some beast in a human form? You¡¯re like a cow now, you know?¡± The girl asked, failing completely while trying to hold the giggles.


    ¡°Ugh! You! Stop groping me already,¡± flinching harshly, she spoke before correcting the creases around the dress, her face puffed up in anger. Though, the pout only fueled the maid¡¯s sprawling laugh.


    Wriggling about under her grasp, her guest finally moved away, standing with a proud grin on her face while Zyponia could only watch the spectacle with solemn eyes, not spouting a single word more.


    Still, Raeyine¡¯s voice promptly abated to a calm level, soon locking her gaze with the demon lord. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know it¡¯s a sensitive topic. However, it was you who invited him, no?¡± She asked softly, quickly pondering around the mien on Zyponia¡¯s face. Changing from the seriousness, it deflated with sigh.


    ¡°Haa, yes, you¡¯re right. But I could have never predicted my mind would have ventured off to those areas,¡± She spoke, catching herself by the forehead before kneading her fingers to massage it. ¡°Well, maybe I should have bought an inferior wine,¡± she mused with the other hand on her left hip, however, it could change nothing.


    ¡°Have you done it?¡± All of a sudden, Raeyine blurted out, widening her friend¡¯s eyes to the utmost limit. ¡°You know, have you invited him to your,¡± as she spoke near the end, her hands started to form certain patterns, one hand making an entrance while the fingers of the other entered about hastily.


    ¡°E-eh? W-what?¡± Suddenly, she slurred her words, stuttering as a somewhat flustered expression appeared around her eyes. Turning sour instantly however, she was enraged at her maid¡¯s tongue. ¡°N-no! Don¡¯t even think about that!¡±


    ¡°So, you haven¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No! I would never do something like that,¡± with a fiery expression, the words sprung out of her mouth, appeasing the girl somewhat. However, Raeyine appeared rather disappointed instead.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± she said with a cut breath, only to glance back up at the girl. ¡°What did you do, then? You won¡¯t make me leave otherwise. And I won¡¯t believe those simple lies of yours,¡± speaking out to the demon frozen in place, the maid crossed her arms before firmly standing through the floor and patiently awaiting a response.


    Letting the light shine through and illuminate the strands around her hair, Zyponia¡¯s violet troubles came out around her face, shutting herself both verbally and physically around the carpet.


    Standing in the identical spot around the bedroom, her mouth moved apart a few times, though the futile attempts all came to a halt soon after, repeating the actions. Yet, a certain while after, as her breaths flowed out serenely, her face adorned a rosy blush.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°I touched his penis,¡± the words fell out of the mouth briskly, as though she wanted to get it over with already. Immediately, the look around the maid¡¯s face changed into a clear surprise. Only to widen her eyes as the next statement steeled her ears. ¡°And, he licked me down there,¡± she finished her words, turning towards the girl beside her.


    ¡°Oh, wow, I didn¡¯t expect that. The wine must have been strong, huh?¡±


    ¡°Raeyine,¡± Zyponia spoke tersely, with a tone cooler than just a moment before.


    ¡°Sorry, I just didn¡¯t know you were capable of that. I mean, you always refrained yourself from dirtying your hands. For you to so suddenly change your mind, what happened? Were you that pent up?¡± She asked the questions, painfully getting to the point, but Zyponia didn¡¯t burst out anymore, instead listening intently.


    ¡°I¡¯m just as surprised, and no, I wasn¡¯t pent up,¡± she spoke, tossing her eyes slightly at the end. ¡°I don¡¯t know, his one was just a bit different to the ones I witnessed before. It was pretty to look at, I guess?¡± She spoke with the same, tinted cheeks, even making the face of Raeyine flare up at the tongue.


    ¡°How big was it?¡± The maid asked out of nowhere, making Zyponia squint her eyebrows, but she didn¡¯t prod at the girl¡¯s inquiries. Instead, her mind travelled into the short distance from the past, not needing a lot to arrive at her destination. Stretching out her bare arm, no fabric lay on it. She focused around the forearm before pointing at an area below the wrist with her other hand.


    ¡°Roughly from around here to the elbow,¡± she said, making the amber eyes widen before speeding up the glances around her forearm.


    ¡°Are you sure? No, that¡¯s not possible,¡± she traced back her sight, looking doubtful at the girl, yet the mien stayed composed, no matter how long had passed. ¡°Uh, maybe it was a good decision you didn¡¯t take him,¡± she added, only for Zyponia to finally break a smile and shake her head at the comment.


    ¡°So, I guess his cock made you smitten from the first glance, no?¡± Though, hearing another brutish comment come out of her mouth, the lord immediately stopped looking so lightly, glaring at the girl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it,¡± she said, looking low at the deep smile around Raeyine. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know what it was. It just looked special. No, maybe you¡¯re actually right, I did want to play around with it. His semen tasted good as well,¡± she muttered under her nose, grimacing immediately as the one in front of her screamed a question.


    ¡°You swallowed his cum?!¡± She asked, unable to process the lady in front of her. ¡°What are you talking about? This isn¡¯t my Zyponia anymore,¡± she added with a ghastly face and tone, however, quickly massaging the top of her head, where a ball of water hit, she eased her glances around the demon.


    ¡°Stop being so loud,¡± she said through gritted teeth, ¡°As unlikely as it is, what if one of the girls hears our conversation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you just keep surprising me today. But, you said it tasted good, how was it?¡± Once again, her question settled inside the other¡¯s ears, followed by a crushing silence beneath both the shaky lips and eyesight.


    However, unlike before, she quickly opened her lips. ¡°It was mellow, however, it wasn¡¯t as bitter as you told me in the past.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t? How? I always spat it out the next moment,¡± the girl with a black bun asked, pure fuddle engulfing her movements.


    ¡°No, actually, it was somehow sweet near the end. Even the energy contained inside was higher than what he should have produced. Also, it made me want to¡­¡± she spoke quieter near the end, stopping completely while a silence settled through the space. ¡°... lick his thing,¡± she continued with a bashful expression, the pale gray girl donning an incredulous smile across her face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing right now,¡± she said through a smile, making the lord crease her eyebrows even more. ¡°So, are you going to lick it the next time?¡± She asked quickly, making Zyponia¡¯s face turn deathly blank, almost completely pale.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she lowered her tone, essentially freezing the airs around them. Yet, once again, her face changed at her friend¡¯s words and actions.


    ¡°Ahh, whatever you say, I know what will happen anyway. Judging from your faces, you must have been drifting in the clouds, no?¡± She asked suddenly, turning the demon¡¯s face emotionless for yet another time.


    Turning pink around the cheeks lightly, as her fingers fidgeted around each other for a while, she finally moved, nodding her head in agreement. ¡°He did make me orgasm,¡± she added suddenly, evoking the fire within Raeyine¡¯s eyes, immediately goading for more details.


    ¡­


    Staring outside of the crystal-bitten window, amidst the sinking cushions of the carriage, the man couldn¡¯t help but follow as a droplet trickled down from the top of the window, trailing along the edges to eventually stop at the still frosty part of the glass.


    Yet, within a few sparse breaths of his, the surface cleared up before the water droplets clung to the window, the same which couldn''t be said about the lands beyond. Veiled with the coat of morning coldness, the hills lost their vividness, turning dim at the weather.


    Regardless, taking a few more glances as the landscape changed hesitantly, he looked ahead at the pale seats of the carriage, inhaling before releasing a deep breath. Quickly lowering his head and arms, he placed them along the thighs, grabbing himself by the head while staring down at the flooring.


    ¡®No matter how many times I will try to keep my mind off it, it won¡¯t change the fact it still happened,¡¯ musing to himself as the eyelids fell down, blocking his sight, Lutiel stayed that way for a brief period. Only after he had started to lucidly envision the events from last night did he finally open his eyes, raising his head to glance ahead of him anew.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I can do anything, though I hope she won¡¯t start avoiding me suddenly,¡¯ he said to himself, faintly looking around his body before immuring his sight around the right glove. Willing so, a faint outline glowed inside, vaguely describing itself atop the pale material. Nonetheless, it was still there, as he had called for it.


    ¡®I can¡¯t even tell if she saw me using the glyph, but her focus was in a different place at that time, so probably not,¡¯ pondering before swiftly stopping, making sure her curves didn¡¯t linger around his mind for too long, he focused wholly on the marked hand. The glove lay near his left thigh while he stared directly into the top of his hand, the crest having utterly lost its shine.


    ¡®Why did you start guiding me?¡¯

 56. Caught 1

    ¡®You should only work with battle-related aspects, or are you something else entirely? After all, you did help me in peeling the potatoes. Maybe it¡¯s related to physical activities?¡¯ He asked himself a question, however, hearing the specific tongue roll out from beyond the interior walls, he quickly looked outside, at the high walls stretching far into his sight.


    ¡®The questions are only adding on, but at least I¡¯m learning something about it,¡¯ thinking whilst the glib glove straightened out around his right hand underneath his movements, before he could focus on the demonic words, Lutiel once again saw as the surroundings moved.


    Repeatedly, the sight never seemed to change, only the little details screaming out to the man. The building he had seen so many times, seemed to have gone away, or at least its frame as the exterior walls were set in place. Instead, in the other, empty part of the street, another frame was being built, to fill out all of the bare and blind areas of the city.


    Glancing down at the street where the slaves used to soil their feet and attire through, it no longer splashed around as much. The mud that always glistened stopped being sunk into, the cold nights hardening it enough to imitate the stone slabs around the higher parts.


    Nonetheless, despite the little changes, he saw the same images dancing around in his pupils. Walking along the ground in groups, the middle-aged slaves with missing parts of their faces and limbs pulled onto the chains, nearly not as many needed to roll the carriage¡¯s wheels about.


    Battling through the gray hairs around their heads, white smoke escaped the mouths of the slaves all around, shivering from the scarce and thin clothing they wore. Meanwhile, the demons that sat on the carriages while being carried, fitted themselves with coats that forbade any piercing gust upon their body.


    ¡®Even though I¡¯m somewhat aware of their circumstances, it¡¯s still hard watching them like this,¡¯ he thought to himself, albeit the scenery around him starting to transform. Watching the crowd that seemed to have lost their spark of interest in the dark carriage, he eventually cooled his mind off, focusing on the task at hand instead.


    So, taking the note filled with ingredients he needed to acquire from the market, he gripped it while observing the streets outside of the window change briskly, usually the varying sizes and colors of the buildings differentiating them. However, glancing at all of the similarities in the layouts, he finally stopped searching for the changes since Ravier¡¯s voice ingrained itself inside his ears.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he spoke as always, succumbing to himself around his driver¡¯s seat as though nothing else mattered.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± replied Lutiel, followed only by a meek click of doors being opened, a nippy breath of the winds welcoming his hair, swaying them erratically upon the world. And as soon as the man¡¯s shoulders escaped the carriage¡¯s grasp, coiling gazes reverberated across all over his frame, bouncing back to the eyes of the beholders.


    The demons stared at him eerily closer than ever before, too curious for the man. Even if he tried to ignore them, the potency overwhelmed his mind. ¡®They aren¡¯t hateful, at least,¡¯ he mused before letting off the matter.


    Seeing a larger vision embrace his eyes, he stared at the column of pedestrians walking straight ahead before they siphoned out to certain stands on the sides.


    Already familiar to him, he didn¡¯t ponder much about the market, simply walking through the inquisitive glances around him. Sticking quite close to the buildings, his body started to lead away to the middle of the road, yet, he stopped suddenly. Creasing the skin of his forehead, along with the eyebrows, the man stretched out his hands through the space.


    Immediately, he hit a wall of some sort, invisible one at that. Caressing his hands against what felt like an impenetrable barrier, he quickly scoured through the area around, especially taking a few looks at the demons.


    Some few stopped, looking around themselves and whispering to each other, catching the interest of new passers. However, they could never focus their attention on his image. With somewhat confused eyes, they didn¡¯t linger around for too long. ¡®They were the ones that saw me step out of the carriage, are they pretending not to see me?¡¯ He asked himself, despite a certain idea having briskly formed within.


    Before he could execute the thought, though, his body moved on its, swiftly hitting another of the obscure walls restraining him. Nevertheless, it was enough to impede the movements of the wind from his right.


    Grazing along his jacket, arms veiled by murky sleeves went down swiftly, cutting through the air with the sack the hidden figure possessed. Having failed its task, the extensive cloak that covered the whole of the person moved back quickly whilst barely dodging the thrust of Lutiel¡¯s legs.


    Shadows crawled up beneath the hooded face, followed by a groan when the figure caught itself around the left hip. Meanwhile, the slave glanced ahead of him, at what should have been the facade of a building. ¡®I¡¯ve fallen into a trap again, damn it,¡¯ he cursed whilst staring at the vast alley that didn¡¯t let in much of the sky.


    However, he couldn¡¯t think for a long while, staring at the two companions of the assaulter already running straight at him. Clenching his jaw as he could only go forward, Lutiel tightened his fists whilst bracing his stance.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Yet, as he suddenly brought his arms up to guard his face, his eyes screamed, quivering as he realized he had become stuck. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ he groaned, his throat releasing mere, incoherent mumbles while the hooded figure ahead of him stopped, their left arm sprawled out of the costume.


    Moving their head towards the two others by the side, the figure with the bag approached him rapidly, only adding to his boiling blood. Regardless, he could do nothing against the might of what could have only been magic.


    Despite the harsh, internal struggles of his, Lutiel could only succumb to the darkness as the rough material brushed against his face. Before long, still immured through the invisible might, he felt as his body was being dragged, towards the depths of the alley.


    Unable to oppose the trio in the slightest, only his thoughts permeated through the space, their silence digging further into his uncertainty. ¡®Who the hell are these guys? Are they after the coin? No, they would have taken it already by then. Are they kidnapping me, then?¡¯ Pondering while feeling the passage of time physically, his body tremored, reverberating with pain as he was abruptly thrown somewhere.


    ¡®Haa, I don¡¯t like where this is going,¡¯ thinking as the heart threatened to rupture out of his chest, there was nothing he could do regardless. Kept in the dark, literally, only his hastened breath and lingering thoughts tended to the man¡¯s sanity.


    Though, it seemed that the journey started to fade away. Feeling something hard and flat around his bottom, something wrapped itself around his legs. Tightened to the limit, he judged it must have been rope. Quickly, the assailants moved up, firstly taking hold of his arms before bringing them behind his back and tying the wrists together.


    Then, finally, a sudden thrust against the bag started to graze his skin slightly, a dim source of light meeting with the man. ¡®Where the hell am I?¡¯ he asked himself whilst staring around the space.


    No longer were the hooded figures there. So, focusing through the dingy, cellar-like space filled with nothing but bricks and a single, flickering crystal on the ceiling, he glanced at the main two shadows ahead of him.


    Staring into him with their dead eyes, clear of most emotions, the two made his eyes widen. With his pale brown skin and chaotically undulating hairs, there was only one feature around him that varied from the memories. From Lutiel¡¯s point of view, the right side of the taller man¡¯s face was filled with dark scabs. Along the cheek, a hefty line was sewn together with a metallic line, a mended mark starting to form around the area.


    Looking at the scar, the slave immediately recalled the punch that ruptured the man¡¯s cheek, only to glance on the left, where the stout, short man unveiled his face from the light hood. With a single, deep black horn glistening under the light, the merchant¡¯s impassive face screamed to him.


    However, quickly, both of them fell into amusement, staring with a smile as the slave¡¯s body started to shake with tremors. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, it will only put your body under greater stress,¡± the slave merchant spoke while caressing the moustache beneath his nostrils.


    ¡°He must be wondering what¡¯s this all about, make them release him. He can¡¯t even speak and he¡¯s roped anyways,¡± the leader of the revolutionaries spoke up, his cold and indifferent eyes beginning to change vaguely.


    Immediately, as a waft came from behind, Lutiel¡¯s eagerness to move about lessened, coming to halt as he lowered his head and limbs. ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked clearly, only near the end raising his head.


    Chuckling with the hearty voice of his, the merchant glanced to his left. ¡°I guess he could mistake us for kidnappers, no?¡± The question sprawled out along the before once again turned to the human. ¡°Don¡¯t worry kid, we won¡¯t be cutting away your balls or anything like that,¡± he said, making Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows sour.


    Under the intensifying cackling, the man quickly glanced around the room, staring at the armored knights standing in the meek shadows behind the main duo. Then, he tried to move his head to the back, only to wane off as the restraining forces met his cheeks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± finally, the other Lutiel spoke up, the light leather armor around him in complete contrast to the images the slave remembered. ¡°I know you¡¯re confused about why we brought you here, but as he said, we won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered me,¡± Lutiel probed the dark-haired man, only for him to show a faint smile. However, instead of the human, the demon replied briskly.


    ¡°Hey, human, why do you think he talks to me so casually when I was trying to sell him?¡± The demon merchant spoke up, this time, clear of laughter.


    Glancing with calm eyes at the solemn situation, he thought for a few breaths before finally parting his lips anew. ¡°You must be working together.¡± And,the man¡¯s eyes lightened up at his words, nodding faintly after crossing his arms.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct-¡± he started speaking, immediately cut off by the white-haired slave.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Well, I guess it could confuse you since I¡¯m a demon,¡± the demon pondered, stroking his spilling chin. ¡°And my question is, why not?¡±


    Furrowing his white eyebrows once again, Lutiel stared deeply at the man, though nothing else other than witnessing his glimmering teeth came from it. ¡°How is it profitable?¡± He asked suddenly, recalling the words of his lady.


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± he said whilst shaking his head, further festering the slave¡¯s confusion. ¡°For now, at least. When we actually win over this city, the money will finally start to pour out, like nicking open a vein flowing with liquid gold.¡± He spoke with a tight grin around his face, the eyes already seeing much further into the future.


    ¡°Why are you telling me all of this? Aren¡¯t you afraid I will tell Lady Zyponia about you plotting with humans?¡± Lutiel asked, much to the surprise around their face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for a docile slave, you know?¡± The merchant spoke up before continuing. ¡°But, don¡¯t worry about it, you will remember nothing of this meeting if you choose the demons. Of course, we won¡¯t hurt you if you do,¡± he made sure to add near the end, having the revolutionary staring at him coolly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lutiel asked yet again, glancing between the duo. ¡°Choose?¡±

 57. Caught 2

    Sighing slightly, the second Lutiel crossed his arms as well. ¡°Yes, you have made quite the ruckus at the party, so we wanted to recruit you to the army,¡± he spoke through distant eyes, the words sticking to the man immediately.


    ¡°You were there as well?¡± The slave sparked back immediately, scouring through the expressions before him.


    ¡°What? No, can¡¯t you see what you did to me? I still need to recover,¡± he said while pointing at his face. Then, turning to his right, he glanced at the demon before speaking up. ¡°He has a few connections with the demons that were there. It was mostly his idea to get you here.¡±


    Smiling secretively, the merchant nodded after the pale Lutiel turned to him. ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision? Are you going to join the demons, or the humans?¡±


    Pondering as the question tumbled inside his ears, the man didn¡¯t reply for a long few breaths. Even as his voice finally went out, he still hadn¡¯t spoken briskly. ¡°... But, I¡¯m a slave. I have a brand binding me,¡± he spoke calmly, through a soft tongue.


    ¡°Who do you think I am? No, rather, who gave you that brand?¡±


    ¡°...You,¡± he replied hesitantly, countless ideas flashing through his head.


    ¡°Do you still not know the answer?¡± Speaking slowly, his brows furrowed a bit, only for him to add another, thundering question. ¡°Tell me, do you want to stop being a slave?¡± The merchant smiled loudly near the end, a full grin glistening across the human¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What?¡± He blurted out abruptly, the words falling out of him without any thinking. ¡°You¡¯re saying this brand can be stripped off?¡±


    ¡°Of course, though only if you agree to join us. We need someone as close to Zyponia as you,¡± he said, a smirk broadening around his face. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to acquire something similar to this brand?¡± He asked all of a sudden, making them raise an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t just let me go out with all of this knowledge without some magic binding.¡±


    ¡°You know quite a bit, huh? Well, even if you don¡¯t agree to it, you won¡¯t remember, so it doesn¡¯t change much. Yes, you will be put under an oath. If you tell anyone about my affiliation with the revolutionary army to Zyponia, you will naturally die, though I guess you expect that already.¡±


    Lowering his brows and eyes, the slave stared at the brick floor, his mind screaming and tearing apart at the conflicts it had been put under. Still, after a few unsteady breaths, he finally looked up at them. ¡°I¡¯m willing to join you, but I want to know more.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± The demon pried.


    ¡°Everything. The humans, the revolutionaries, everything that happened in the last ten years. I remember nothing from that time.¡±


    ¡°You did say he was amnesiac,¡± The other Lutiel mused, staring sparingly at the merchant. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Pondering silently with a straight face, he glanced constantly at the human slave. Though, after a while, he finally spoke up. ¡°How much time do we have before your driver will start looking for you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if I were to say, I guess we have about half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s plenty. It¡¯s your turn now,¡± the merchant said, glancing up to his left. Ignoring the sigh, as well as the exhaustedly travelling eyes, the demon stood calmly after tightly shutting his lips.


    Thinking for a while, the light-skinned Lutiel scratched his neck as the ceiling lit up across his pupils. Eventually, releasing another deep breath, his chin looked down at the human. ¡°Fine, what should I tell you? Anything in particular you¡¯re interested in?¡±


    ¡°How much of Aseun has fallen?¡± The man corrected himself against the chair, bringing his back straight before boring his sight within the other human¡¯s face.


    Exchanging a few breathless moments with him, the leader¡¯s mien failed to describe any reaction. ¡°We have pooled our strengths into three largest capitals. Falia, the holy capital of the empire. Hostrig, the heart of Grezen, as well as Laskiel in the center of Nemir. Does that tell you anything?¡±


    ¡°What about the other cities? And the villages?¡± He inquired instantly.


    ¡°Those beyond the scope of the three kingdoms were abandoned before the demons could attack, just like the one we¡¯re inside,¡± the man spoke, face clear of clues. ¡°As for the villages and other settlements, I have no idea, but the smallest ones were probably ravaged to the ground by some demons long ago.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    His eyebrows not wavering in the slightest, Lutiel searched for the floor instead. ¡®Do lower standing demons not know about the oaths? Well, it¡¯s either that or Zyponia sold me a bunch of lies,¡¯ he mused inwardly, quickly raising his sight back at the duo.


    ¡°So, only Helasta has been fully lost? I was expecting much more,¡± he muttered under his nose, igniting a prompt reaction.


    ¡°Only?¡± The other human in the room asked quietly, staring at the man before slowly approaching him. Decisively, the hard leather soles rang out against the bricks, quickly closing the distance. ¡°Helasta was the main supply of iron and coal for the empire. Even if we lost only a quarter of the lands, it was enough to halt our progress for half a decade.¡±


    Gradually increasing his tone, finally, Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°And tell me, how did it get in the hands of the demons in the first place?¡± He asked while his eyes drilled within the man¡¯s skull.


    ¡°We had to flee the lands. The amount of demons here was far too much,¡± he spoke a few breaths later, his voice reverberating along the space.


    His eyebrows calming peacefully, the slave stared at the two intermittently. Changing between them, he lingered more around the merchant, however.


    Regardless, he broke his interest eventually, parting his lips anew. ¡°How many years ago was that?¡±


    ¡°Nine,¡± the man replied briskly, making the man¡¯s face twitch and flinch.


    ¡°Nine? Then, what the hell were the heroes doing? Did they just sit by and watch as you made your decisions?¡± He asked with a somewhat raised tone, but the man he directed the words at was simply stuck in silence.


    ¡°The heroes disappeared ever since that bastard died,¡± he spoke up, producing a vein around his forehead whilst clenching his jaw.


    ¡°What?¡± Lutiel asked immediately, his face starting to contort. ¡°No, no, no, that¡¯s impossible, what are you even saying?¡±


    ¡°Haa, that''s not what I¡¯m saying. You can doubt them, but they are the words of the saintess herself,¡± he said, immuring the slave completely, his face halting any movements. Yet, a breath later, he slowly raised his eyes at the revolutionary.


    ¡°What?!¡± His own words began reverberating inside his ears, clanging and banging on the walls of his mind. ¡°Sheila? Sheila the saintess?¡±


    ¡°Yes? What other saintess was there?¡± Squinting his eyebrows together, he stared at the white-haired man weirdly.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, no, no,¡± his voice barely came out through the mess around his face, staring down at the floor. ¡°She¡¯s dead. I¡¯ve seen her die on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? The saintess is currently in the holy capital,¡± he spoke away with a puzzled face, quickly looking back at the demon merchant, who simply shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°She was imprisoned by Magon and the bastard, but after the heroes came to save her and defeat them both, only she was able to live and tell the tale,¡± continuing, his voice only intensified the awry fuddle around Lutiel.


    ¡®What do you mean Sheila is alive? I was the one that killed her!¡¯ His voice bellowed internally, quickly receding back to the sprawling silence deafening his ears. Gazing up at the equally confused man, he stayed around him for a while.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry about that. I guess it must have been one of the dreams I had after losing my memory. You know, it¡¯s hard to tell the truth from lies on my own,¡± he spoke, turning back both his, as well as the man¡¯s faces.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said after locking eyes with the slave. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You seemed more than distressed a second ago.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I was simply shocked to hear that she¡¯s alive. I¡¯m glad it was just a dream. Was she the one that told you about the death of the heroes as well as the bastard¡¯s? Can you tell me who that was? I don¡¯t really remember anyone like that.¡±


    ¡®I need to know more, so much more that I¡¯m clueless about than I could ever imagine,¡¯ he thought whilst staring at the two with a clear face. Seeing the man looking down at him, the flow around his nose increased slightly.


    ¡°The saintess was the one to tell us everything,¡± he said after nodding vaguely. ¡°Though, she only revealed it after the drastic news. After the bastard, Lutiel, lured the heroes into Magon¡¯s lair with his letter, we were finally able to realize what kind of trash he was.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Staring somewhat distantly, the man spoke with a voice void of any spark.


    ¡°Lutiel was working together with the demon lord. Acting as though Magon had imprisoned him, he caught the saintess before doing the same with the heroes. And, in the end, his actions worked in his favor, getting rid of the heroic powers from the world.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The man on the chair asked, his voice shaken up from the revelation.


    ¡°Why? What else other than being jealous of the party he was in? He was nothing but an envious trash that betrayed humanity, nothing else and nothing more.¡± He spoke, crossing his arms again before watching as Lutiel moved his head down for a few breaths.


    Yet, as the cold winds encroached the space, he nippily raised his face, the eyebrows bent ragefully. ¡°Why the hell do we share his name, then?¡±


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s more like it,¡± the leader said through a smile. ¡°We all talk to each other as Lutiels, but only when there are demons around us. It¡¯s to make sure we never lose our purpose of defeating them,¡± he said, clenching his slightly raised fist.


    ¡°I see,¡± the roped man spoke, contorting his lips to grow a smile while staring at the leader with almost fully opened eyes. ¡°I¡¯d still like to hear more, but my answer is clear. I will join you.¡±

 58. A New Teacher

    His eyes closed, the man stood against the unabating winds, with feet placed firmly against the verdant blades that danced away. Digging through the grass slightly, his legs rotated from the place they stood at before hastily halting themselves. Unswerving in focus despite the erratically swaying hair of his, Lutiel¡¯s erect stature remained unchanged as well.


    Placing his arms ahead of him and stretching them out halfway while bending the elbows, his hands tightened around the firm material. Unlike the nights he had spent on his own, at the current moment, he grasped upon the dark leather grip of the metallic sword.


    However, as he set his body in place, freezing up, the face with widened eyes grimaced out of nowhere. Assaulting his ears, the smack pervaded quickly and stridently. Swiftly cutting through the space around him, his head turned to the right, immediately glancing at the person sharing a foothold with him on the hill.


    Piercing through his face with a glance down, she moved her right arm back to the prior position, resting the lengthy, wooden sword against the palm of her left hand. Slapping it delicately against the hand a few times, her eyes never escaped the scope of his face. Glaring at him with the stern, frigid looks, she abated little beneath his wails and winces.


    ¡°Are you supposed to threaten anyone with that? That¡¯s what kids do when they first lift the sword,¡± she said briskly, the voice cutting through the air right upon the man¡¯s position. Flowing up, his eyes settled along her as they locked gazes.


    The parted, mellowy red lips glistened dimly, standing apart from the rouge complexion he could witness everywhere the skin sprawled out. Not nearly as intense as the blazing, ruby hair falling straight on her back without any tumble anywhere else. ¡°Though, you might as well be one judging from your condition.¡±


    ¡°I took this position from my clouded memories,¡± he spoke back to the indifference lingering around her glistening eyes. Making him feel as though he stared into a pile of golden coins, the girl¡¯s impassive sight only added to the gleam. ¡°The human knights inside the dreams were always using this stance to train.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I wanna believe that,¡± she cut his words quickly, right after he had finished. ¡°If they are, we must have done horrendously here,¡± musing to herself momentarily, the girl¡¯s fleeting sight suddenly settled on his pale face, making it flinch abruptly.


    Lowering his head, he sent a peek at the sleek, pinkish hands, covered fully by the loose, pale shirt connected below the neck and around the sleeves with laces. Similarly tightened, though around the center of her hips, black leather pants rustled ever so slightly from the minute movement of hers.


    Catching his arms with the sword in her grasp, the elbows specifically, she guided them one by one as though he was some puppet she could adjust. Yet, as she spread his legs apart and lowered the knees, right when the inert human regained his motions, his body staggered slightly before maintaining the stance. His arms were raised, precisely to uphold the sword above his right shoulder.


    ¡°Hold it there, remember what your muscles feel, how you''re placed against the world. Don¡¯t slash down yet, just try to ingrain the position into you,¡± she said whilst the sword had already gone back to her, her palm beaten relentlessly again.


    Standing there, with the sword piercing at the ashen clouds behind him, Lutiel didn¡¯t bother to utter a single moan or groan. ¡®Don¡¯t you dare light up,¡¯ he thought to himself, but he never glanced at the special hand, peering at the grassy curtains flowing ahead of him instead.


    However, no matter how long he could place himself there with a peaceful breath, as the appointed instructor beside him kept mum, he eventually started to stagger. On the surface, as well as in the lungs. And, as soon as a tremor ran through his right arm, he promptly followed the voice.


    ¡°Stop,¡± she ordered before taking in his image, which remained silent for a few unsteady breaths. Then, her lips parted anew, the curved horns never waning against the gales in the slightest. ¡°Repeat the motion. One hit for every wrong movement,¡± the demon muttered before lusting over him with her golden vision.


    Releasing a more shallow respire, the human tensed his muscles, imitating the stance he had held up for countless breaths already. Despite having just done it, as he raised the arms and spread the lowered knees, he groaned suddenly. Fleeting out of his nostrils briskly, the painful air followed the clamor that his flesh snorted out when the woman hit him against the right thigh.


    Repeating quickly, three more hits came in right after, leaving him to only clench his jaw. Under the somewhat relaxed muscles around her face, no longer as stern, the girl was about to sweep forward with another strike when she stopped, seeing him take on the proper form.


    ¡®It¡¯s still better than training with the knights and their whips, at least,¡¯ he thought to himself whilst closing his eyes, keeping steady against the wind. Unruffled while the sweat tickled his face, Lutiel fell just as his limbs were about to give out.


    Once again, she made him stop, promptly letting the loud begging for air envelop both of their ears. Staring as the man¡¯s chest started to rock about faintly, the girl quickly looked him up and down before stopping at the purple eyes.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°I guess your physicality is higher than those soldiers, but I still can¡¯t wrap my head around why she bought you,¡± she spoke suddenly, his head turning at the words. ¡°Nor why she made me train you on my stay here. Do you know anything?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± he uttered, scratching his head over the matter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, teacher, but I don¡¯t know if Lady Zyponia would want me to reveal it,¡± he spoke directly in front of her, to which she replied with sprawling laughter, though not harsh enough to beat against the winds.


    ¡°It seems that she has you around her finger already,¡± she said after the chuckle had ended. ¡°Just speak up already, the fault will be on me,¡± adding together with the sound of the sword beating around her palm, his eyes stumbled silently. Though, adjusting just as quick, Lutiel stared at her with his casual indifference.


    ¡°I know a bit about magic already,¡± he said secretively, only for her to remain unimpressed, making his eyebrows furrow faintly.


    ¡°Is that all? Countless humans are aware of it already, especially those in that newfound army of yours,¡± she spoke, her eyes starting to slowly peel off him. ¡°I guess she must have bought you for your looks, huh,¡± musing below his silence, the girl bounced back to his face a breath after.


    ¡°What I meant is I learn about magic better and quicker than other humans,¡± he said, the girl quickly searching around his face.


    ¡°What do you mean? How can you learn better?¡± She asked, squinting her eyes ever so slightly whilst the sword dug into the grass, supporting the already erect back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the word already, and the energy flowing through me is higher than usual,¡± he added briskly. Staggering about as the answer played whims within her, she looked at him for a prolonged breath, finally speaking as her gleam reflected itself within his serious pupils.


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about the actual word, are you? What did you hea-¡± her calm voice vanished, gone together with the passing wafts. Her hair swaying as she raised her eyelids, the girl stared at him utter it.


    ¡°Meiar,¡± he spoke momentarily, already finished after cutting into her tongue. ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± He asked, but the girl didn¡¯t reply. Despite the unamused expression she was showing a few breaths prior, she stared at him whilst utterly baffled.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied suddenly. Still with her eyes not fully around his presence, the girl followed on. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°Well-¡± Speaking up, he wasn¡¯t able to finish before his sight went awry, scouring all over the place. Since none other muscle of his body worked except for the lungs and the eyes, he could only look at the red-skinned girl in front of him move closer towards him whilst trapped in the invisible force.


    Before he even knew it, her right hand left the sword, crawling through the jacket and shirt he always had on himself. Yet, before she could fully feel his sensitive areas, she stopped around his slave brand, the firmed yet delicate palm exploring for the warmth of the heart.


    And, when it beat for her a few tens of times, she finally receded before letting him move about once again.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± she uttered, staring at her right palm. Breaking apart her reserved face, her eyes practically shimmered while staring at the lingering feeling. ¡°I was doubting if she had become some horny animal, but it makes sense now.¡± Saying so despite the lady¡¯s slave standing there, the demon girl lowered her body, swiftly reaching for the sword she previously tossed away.


    ¡°Alright,¡± adding while bending her body, as soon as travelled back, the face no longer stood so unmoved, a faint smirk crawling up the sides of her face. ¡°You wanted to learn the sword from the beginning, right? I will make you the best human swordsman there was in your history, then,¡± she stated, with plentiful more vigour and pride compared to her approach earlier.


    ¡®What?¡¯ He asked himself all of a sudden, watching as she started moving closer to him, his body immured in place once again, though lighter than earlier, it twitched eagerly all over.


    ¡°I was going to just teach you some random stances and slashes, but it seems like I need to get the basics entwined into you now. Come to me at ten in the morning every day, after you¡¯ve done your tasks,¡± she spoke, back to her serious mien.


    Yet, he turned perplexed instead, glancing at the girl¡¯s blank face. ¡°Weren¡¯t we meant to train every three days?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± she replied immediately. ¡°My statement has changed, so I will be training you daily from now on. With no excuses. If you won¡¯t come to me after work, I will come deliberately to wake you up and train at night without the luxury of the clothes you''re wearing now, understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, teacher,¡± he replied again, assured this time. However, his eyes traveled towards her doubtfully right after.


    ¡°Good, then, after all this, just remember to save some for me,¡± she uttered discreetly, only to leave him no time to ponder about the statement, his legs trembling out of nowhere.


    Halting herself just a step away from the man, her brown leather boots suddenly moved, turning into a smeared flash to his eyes. Hitting against the slave¡¯s right leg, she skillfully started to change his position of the foot, following the other one a moment later.


    ¡°In order to have a bright future in the sword, you have to have good foundations. And to have good foundations, you need good movement of the body. But frankly, right now, you¡¯re as rigid as a cold chunk of iron. When it comes to the sword, at least,¡± she stated, making him look down at the legs she was beginning to adjust with the hands.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I move them by myself?¡± He asked, squinting his eyebrows somewhat while staring at the kneeling lady.


    ¡°Just keep looking for now. You will understand in a bit,¡± she said, not looking up once as the words befell him. And, feeling as the legs tensed up in a way that he could still stand and move around effortlessly, she raised herself off the grass. ¡°This is what you want to achieve when standing. Though slightly in different forms, it¡¯s pretty much similar throughout walking and fighting with the sword,¡± she spoke calmly, crossing her arms with the sword leaning against her cheek.

 59. Lingering Feelings 1

    Immediately, his legs flinched through the space, coming back to the previous position beneath his stupor. Meanwhile, she spoke once more. ¡°Try to follow in that direction. It doesn¡¯t have to be perfect on the first try, it just needs to be better than before and closer to the goal, is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, teacher,¡± he uttered, only for her to wave away with the sword, cutting horizontally through the wind before arriving near his right arm, which held the longsword.


    ¡°Bring it to the same stance as before,¡± she stated before the man started to flow into motion. ¡°Watch as I do it. Try to imitate me and follow my movements.¡±


    Nodding sparsely while focusing on his grip, he raised his arms to bring the hilt above his right shoulder and the metal collar, pointing backwards the same way she was doing it with her wooden weapon.


    And almost instantly as his movements became reflected through her eyes, the instructor¡¯s lips twitched succinctly. ¡°Your legs are too far apart.¡± Aid came through the girl¡¯s tongue, following it religiously a breath after. Moving his feet closer to each other however, the blade hoisted up.


    ¡°Lower the sword,¡± once again, a correcting voice brushed his ears. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the hilt with your shoulders,¡± it added on, one mistake producing another without halting down.


    ¡°Good, keep your arms like that,¡± the girl finally changed her words whilst the other party painted a vague surprise. After a few major mistakes, finally, he was greeted with a compliment from the front.


    ¡°Make sure to keep a close watch of me,¡± adding swiftly, the man¡¯s sight was caught in a whirlpool, traversing towards the demon obediently. For all the times he kept messing up, she remained in the correct stance, yet the airs around her face hadn¡¯t faltered from normalcy. Breathing steadily, a deeper one came suddenly before his sight broke apart.


    Beneath her stooped stature, the wood fell down soundlessly, cutting the winds with a diagonal slash. Together with the silence of the blade, not even an utter came from beyond her lips.


    Finished just as briskly as the motion had started, his new teacher waited nearly no time to move back to the prior stance. ¡°Replicate the move,¡± she said, to which the man hesitated momentarily.


    Nonetheless, having glanced enough at the golden gleam, his head turned to the side. Looking at the pale glove, the man focused near the center, where a glow flashed for a fleeting instant. ¡®I heard you the first time,¡¯ thinking to himself, he steeled his breath in a similar fashion.


    Turning at the girl anew, the nose battled against the winds whilst his stomach began to inflate ever so vaguely. Recalling her actions one final time, he released the breath before engaging his flesh at the same time, cutting obliquely ahead of himself.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ He pondered strangely, quickly following towards the blank, right hand. Staring as the glove didn¡¯t stand out in the slightest, the man still wondered for a brief moment. ¡®No pain whatsoever, and two streaks would have lit up,¡¯ he mused whilst sensing the glyph. Though, his attention was briskly cut short, a tongue from the front catching it.


    ¡°Correct your posture,¡± she said, continuing on. ¡°Don¡¯t let your attack sway the body. You will be performing a lot of actions in a real battle against an enemy. If you can¡¯t interchange smoothly between the motions, they will cut your head down quicker than you can move back to your position.¡±


    ¡°Yes, teacher,¡± speaking back whilst moving at the same time, with a renewed position, another voice quickly crawled up to his ears.


    ¡°You¡¯re too low on your knees.¡± One after another, he once again delved into a spiral of errors, Still, recovering within a fewer amount of faults, Lutiel brought the sword closer to the shoulder before settling peacefully against the grass.


    Before noticing, his eyes were already glued around her movements, watching the wooden sword in all of its glory. Hovering right before the green blades, the tip swiftly came back to the same position. Then, a sole command came out before the girl watched the man.


    Twitching in the vision, her eyelids began closing mildly, observing as the man in front of her did the same actions as her. Yet, despite not being anywhere close in any area, the lengthened stares made him look twice whilst putting on the stance again.


    ¡°Is there something wrong, teacher? Did I do it incorrectly?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± her voice trailed off whilst his face lightened up from the peeking sun. ¡°You¡¯re a quick learner, and not just in magic, it seems,¡± she muttered under her breath, all while the man stared at her eerily.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m talented?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m suggesting. You¡¯ve started to grasp the notion of moving around somewhat, and the slashes themselves aren¡¯t half-bad for a newbie. Are you sure you haven¡¯t practiced with a sword before losing memories?¡± Asking with a glance constantly upon him, she watched his eyebrows furrow about.


    ¡°No, I think I only fought with the spear,¡¯ he spoke up whilst the mind churned. ¡®So, the glyph is working like I suspected. Then, why did you always forbid me to use the sword, Raphael?¡¯ Asking himself, the mental world quickly crumbled apart as her voice pervaded within.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Well, your body seems suited for weapons, so I¡¯m sure you were good with it. However, you chose it yourself. From now on, you will only think about the sword, understand?¡±


    ¡°Of course, teacher,¡± he replied with a swift time, keeping the position steady.


    ¡°Alright, continue,¡± speaking up, she also brought herself into a stance, continuing with the lesson.


    ¡­


    ¡®Ugh,¡¯ groaning inwardly, the jaw tensed up at the same time, walking through the stairs as he took one step at a time. One after another, with a leisurely pace, Lutiel fought the stairway. Glancing up onto the peeking, beaming crystals of a yellow shade, his sight followed across the wall of the top floor.


    Quickly lowering his head, just a few steps remained. Beating them quickly enough, a brisk stream of wind rejuvenated his lungs, standing silently for a while before following on. ¡®She¡¯s a demon. An actual one,¡¯ gazing down at the wobbly legs and loose arms, he mused to himself.


    Regardless, the thoughts vanished away after watching the familiar double doors move closer with each step he took.


    ¡®Couldn¡¯t you have waited one more day if you¡¯re already avoiding me?¡¯ Following a sigh, the question lingered inside before mellowing out once he stood just a step away from the doors. Banging on it with three quick knocks, the lady¡¯s butler simply stood there, in the same clothes he had used during the day.


    No longer complaining however, his silence kept afloat through the corridor, waiting patiently before a reply came inevitably. ¡°... Come inside,¡± hearing the uncertainty in the tones despite the muffled voice, Lutiel grabbed onto the handle, quickly pushing out before a sight settled in his eyes.


    Completely different to before, or rather, normal in comparison to the last time his feet stepped through the carpet, the slave walked inside confidently, the earlier exhaustion veiled skillfully.


    ¡°You called for me,¡± he spoke, forgetting to utter their standing.


    Placing herself against the desk, his lady kept her eyes busy on the pages in her hands. Irreverent of the words¡¯ significance, Zyponia seemingly didn¡¯t care for his arrival, glancing sparingly to the side.


    However, as the looks started to increase, her body finally turned around, sitting on the chair whilst facing the butler. In his usual set of clothes, Lutiel stood a few steps away from the lady with his indifferent face, resting the arms behind his back and waiting patiently for the girl¡¯s voice.


    ¡°How did it go with Folvana? Did you like her?¡± Asking through the blank emotions, she didn¡¯t linger around his face for too long, breaking apart their sight before it could even meet.


    ¡°She is a good teacher, but I don¡¯t know if I will manage to walk by tomorrow,¡± his voice embraced the room swiftly, easily attracting the girl¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Tomorrow? It was supposed to be every third day,¡± sinking her finger into the upper lip, her sight plummeted somewhat before sparking up a few moments later. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°She changed her mind at the start of our session. I will be training with her daily from now on,¡± he said, making the girl twitch and convulse around the face, questioningly. Even throwing in some glares and doubts, it was temporary nonetheless.


    ¡°You told her, didn¡¯t you?¡± She asked eventually, looking at him with an unamused, raised eyebrow. And, seeing him nod away slightly, a meek sigh escaped her lips, ¡°How much did you tell her?¡±


    ¡°All of it,¡± he said readily, staring at her pink eyes gleaming into his depths for a while. And, witnessing as the lady widened them, she quickly changed back to looking around the space rather than straight into him.


    ¡°I see. Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter. She¡¯s a good friend of mine.¡±


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell her, then?¡¯ A thought sparked inside him, but Lutiel didn¡¯t dare speak it out, simply observing her troubled looks flying past him.


    ¡°Is there a reason you called me?¡± His question made the girl lock gazes with him, somewhat perplexed by the straightforwardness. Still, she didn¡¯t sour much from his tongue. Stopping at his eyes, she remained silent for a few moments.


    ¡°Actually, I just wanted to talk to you, about how you¡¯re doing and all,¡± muttering somewhat, she basically whispered near the end, making his eyebrows stutter.


    ¡°Yes? About the training session?¡± Asking through the puzzle around him, his eyes circled around her soon fidgeting body. ¡®Is she nervous?¡¯ The man wondered for a faint breath.


    ¡°Yes, did you learn something from her already?¡± She questioned him, but the words only delivered a pending silence.


    Despite that, her slave didn¡¯t keep the lady waiting for the sun to arise once again. ¡°I have learned quite a lot already, but is that it? You called me to come over here to ask only that?¡±


    Shutting herself almost completely, Zyponia sat there plainly, glancing up at the man¡¯s perplexed expression.


    ¡°Is that really all you wanted? Couldn¡¯t you have called Folvana to get more insight?¡± He pried against the frozen lady, finally melting away some of her. Alas, his face backed down into silent disappointment.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all I wanted to hear. You can go back to your room now,¡± her voice traveled through the space, weakly. However, it was enough for the man. Turning around briskly, he slowly stepped away from her, his figure disappearing all the way towards the doors.


    Reaching out towards the handle, his movements were the sole sounds in the barren bedroom. Finally, his hand grasped the cold metal, but just as he was about to lower the handle, his body stopped beneath an unclear force. Feeling as though a hand sprawled around his arm, he quickly turned around. Leaning forward with her right arm stretched out, Zyponia promptly went back to her previous position.


    ¡°Please, wait,¡± her voice grazed him as well, having regained some of its previous vibrance. ¡°It¡¯s not all,¡± yet, as she continued, her voice heard meekly.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± groaning faintly, the girl grit her teeth before parting the lips again, exclaiming loudly. ¡°That''s not all. I wouldn¡¯t call for you just for that when we haven¡¯t met ever since that night,¡± speaking up, her eyes peered directly into his while locking their gaze firmly.

 60. Lingering Feelings 2

    ¡°I see,¡± he spat out before looking down at his hand. Swiftly losing grip around the handle, the doors stopped any presence from outside. ¡°I wondered how many more days it would take,¡± he voiced out before starting to step forward, fully focused on her squirmish expression.


    However, as anxious as her eyes appeared to be, she swiftly composed herself. Putting on a calm demeanor, the demon tried to ease her way amidst the man. ¡°If you worried so much, you could have come to me by yourself, no?¡± Still, the benign voice didn¡¯t fit the tranquility of her face. And, as her ears took in the man¡¯s following words, the facial muscles staggered whilst flinching.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a slave, my lady, I wouldn¡¯t dare intrude your room without permission,¡± replying to the question, the lady soured around the nose and eyebrows.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that, please stop,¡± with a meek plea, her words brushed his ears, swiftly changing under the request.


    ¡°Alright. Then, can you finally tell me the reason why I¡¯m here?¡±


    Immediately, as the question befell onto the purple hairs veiling her ears, Zyponia became immured. Frozen in place, silence prevailed.


    Regardless, closing her eyes before taking a deeper breath, she eventually exhaled. ¡°I wanted to talk about the previous topic, but mainly that night. Most importantly, I wanted to straighten things out,¡± her tongue started to roll about when she stopped midway, glancing off into the side. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what got into me with the idea of drinking, for which I¡¯m sorry-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be,¡± he suddenly interjected, leaving the other side to furrow her eyebrows. Unable to speak under his voice, she briskly stared into him. ¡°I had a great time that night. Though, I don''t know if you feel the same.¡± The voice immediately made her eyes widen.


    ¡°Wha-?¡± A mutter came under her chaotic breath, swiftly looking into him. ¡°N-no, me too,¡± she barely restrained her voice, only to whisper again as she realized the words. ¡°Me too, I enjoyed it.¡±


    Yet, hearing the words, Lutiel¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but scour through the girl¡¯s face, stopping around the still unsettled eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± He inquired, only to hear her heavier than usual breath.


    ¡°We had a great time that day, but in the end, we¡¯re just a master and a servant. We should have never done what happened then and there, I¡¯m sure you know which part I¡¯m referring to.¡± Blossoming light pink around her face, the man¡¯s eyes were omitted, ensuring not to look directly at his face.


    ¡°Are you saying we should just forget it happened?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied tersely, with an immediate reaction. ¡°As inappropriate as it was, I can¡¯t just forget it, precisely because it happened,¡± adding on, her voice beamed within the pale ears.


    Furrowing slightly, Lutiel looked at her twice, both of the times witnessing the demon girl stepping closer and closer.


    ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± Changing back to a more solemn face, he tried to confirm her actions. And, seeing her nod weakly, he himself started to go forward slightly.


    ¡°Yes, I need to see whether I¡¯ve made the correct decision. Rather, are you not throwing me away?¡± She asked, checking around his eyes to make sure. Yet, in a heartbeat, her slave spoke up.


    ¡°Why should I? We both want it again, no?¡± Lingering just a few steps away from her, the question wasn¡¯t answered as the two focused on one another. Halting themselves a step away, their faces barely stopped from meeting. Though, sharing the same gleam in the eyes, they leaned forward amidst no hesitation.


    Both of the breaths hastened while their lips came closer, neither looking ahead in order to indulge even further. Met with the staggering softness, Lutiel swiftly moved his arms up. Quickly, another delicate feeling embraced his grasp, yearning for her face to bring it even closer than at the moment.


    Dancing through their mouths against the other¡¯s, the girl began pushing deeper. Pervading through his lips, her sleek tongue wriggled inside before catching hold of his. Entwining them through the halted breaths that begged for more air, neither pulled away regardless of their needs.


    Still, eventually and through intermittent breaks, they refilled their capacity, but didn¡¯t hinder the motions.


    Parting away before inhaling more air, the duo immediately came back, the silence drowning away beneath their sultry gasps and sucking of the flesh.


    The din of their smooching reverberated across the room, stopping only as they finally pried away from each other, staring at the other¡¯s face with hasty breaths.


    Yet, as her chest wreaked havoc inside, meek moans crawled out of her mouth once Lutiel lowered his lips for the sleek neck. Moving the hair away to forget and ingrain himself into her skin, the butler became momentarily stuck against it, slowly descending down the neck beneath her voice.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I was waiting for this for so long,¡± she finally broke free from the pleasure. ¡°Angh, you¡¯re too rough, my skin will be discolored again,¡± adding softly, the girl didn¡¯t say it again despite being continuously kissed along the surface.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call for me earlier? Raeyine said you weren¡¯t training as much," adding whilst still focused on her body, the girl suddenly yelped as his hands grabbed her by the teal dress, around her buttcheeks.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t think because of you. I tried using my fingers to ease the thoughts, but it was nowhere close,¡± whispering whilst putting her lips along his ears, the girl swiftly headed downwards with her left hand, starting to massage a bulging area with the palm. ¡°You¡¯re as hard as a rock down there, you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault,¡± saying so, he quickly stole her lips, but it didn¡¯t stop the girl from pervading through his pants and delivering her hand around the thing he kept inside. Swiftly surrounding it with her fingers, she traced up and down along the shaft, grunt following through the breaks they took to kiss.


    The pants started to sink into her wrist as his member swelled up further, to which the girl quickly took the hand out, feeling as his grasp lingered around her shoulders. Stopping the actions of both of them, he took off the straps around her shoulders one by one, at the same time drooping them down along her arms before making the dress fall to her feet.


    Yet, instead of leering over the deep red lingerie she was wearing, he focused on her hands, which started to linger around the belt. Unbuckling it swiftly, the girl needed to pull them down because of his shaft holding it up. Yet, as she did, Zyponia stared at the underwear, stretched out to the point of revealing what was kept inside.


    Kissing briskly at the same time as she undressed her butler¡¯s attire, before long, he also loosened the socks and shoes.


    Both of them stood on the carpet, bare except for their underclothing. They didn¡¯t undress yet. Grabbing him by the hand, the girl started to guide the man right towards the bed with curtains, going through the red fabric with her left hand before swiftly tossing him onto the made bedding.


    With his back, the man lay on the bed patiently, watching as the girl from above started to crawl across his body filled with faint, but slightly darker than his head hairs. With enough room to fully sprawl out his limbs, the man made himself comfortable whilst the girl sat on his lap, bringing his pale, cusped underwear close to the stomach. Sitting on her calves and clinging to his waist, she stared at the man for a while, only to finally reach her hands towards the thing she eyed eagerly.


    Grasping onto the underwear, Zyponia¡¯s fingers slipped inside before pulling onto it, his fully erect penis springing up into the red gleam they stayed within. Her face breaking up into a faint crease around the lips, she leaned down with the torso, squishing the erection with her stomach. Focused on his face, she quickly burrowed herself into him, the man reciprocating immediately whilst grasping her hands and entwining their fingers.


    Sprawling the arms out to the side, he closed his eyes. Indulging into the lady before him, they continued to kiss for countless breaths, their mixed saliva dripping onto him as she finally raised herself, still holding onto his hands. Still, the girl swiftly broke their contact, moving back to brace her sight around the standing shaft of her slave.


    Feeling the hastened tightness in her chest, she moved forward with the hands regardless, quickly circling her palm around the glans. Immediately, her sight moved upwards, struck by the sudden groan reverberating inside her ears. Hasting her pace around the member under his soft moans, she brought over the second hand to hold the base still.


    Yet, despite the delightful expressions around Lutiel whilst his lady stroked his penis, after a few repetitions, she noticed just how hard it felt to move around. Gripped tightly around her palm, she halted the actions before staring at it for a while, with eyes screaming curiously.


    Swiftly, his eyes and eyebrows widened up as he watched her face come closer to his shaft. Trying to move all of a sudden seemed futile, however. Feeling as though something stuck to him around the ankles and wrists, his lips parted immediately. ¡°Zyponia, ah?¡± But when he began uttering something, the spit she released towards his tip swayed slightly as she glanced up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, please continue,¡± with short reply, he sunk his head back into the soft cushions, feeling the moistened glans of his member get stimulated by her palm and fingers. Nonetheless, he couldn¡¯t do anything, but writhe around from the pleasure she exerted out of him. Smirking from the man¡¯s reactions, the girl continued to stroke on the lubed member, adding on more saliva before it dried off.


    With swift, succinct movements around the glans and the top of the shaft, she rocked her gripping palm, tightly holding the base so it couldn¡¯t escape. From curious, slow movements, she steadily increased the pace while leaning forward to his face, at some point almost making the man¡¯s cock stick to his stomach. All while he could only shut himself up against the overwhelming sensation.


    His lips glued together by her mouth, she still tended keenly over his dick, caressing it on the top. And, after a couple of minutes passed as she kept on smooching the man¡¯s face, he started to cave in finally. His breath faltering chaotically, the limbs also started to behave erratically. Smiling as she witnessed him clench his jaw, her sight swiftly fell down towards the twitching member in her hands.


    Peeking out from the dark, minute hole, a pure white substance escaped, in an upwards stream that battled any of his previous ejaculations. Following the sperm fly with marvel in her eyes, she watched as it dared to splash around the duvet, quickly catching it.


    Gathering together into a singular, big glob, the cum she had gathered in the air quickly escaped outside of the bed, somewhere the man could never know, especially since his eyes spun around the folding fabric of the ceiling.


    With a heaving chest, he finally glanced ahead at the lady, who once again began moving closer towards his face. Yet, feeling as the magical shackles around his limbs disappeared, he quickly hugged her, much to the lady¡¯s shock.


    Out of nowhere, having raised his upper body, he used the left arm to turn around, throwing the demon lord to her bed. Zyponia easily turned from the side to her back, watching the man as he drilled her arms towards the soft duvet, holding them tightly with his own. Staring down at his dangling member, dripping from the tip with a whitish liquid, she swiftly moved towards his face. ¡°Are you not going to return the gesture?¡± She asked, pouting somewhat before the man obstructed any emotions from showing.

 61. Lingering Feelings 3

    Mingling their saliva over and over whilst moving downwards her waist, he eventually nestled his palms against her hips, grabbing onto the dark red panties. Moving his defined under the light torso away, he raised her sleek legs before pulling the underwear and taking it off, only to spread the legs under her silent agreement.


    Swiftly, the two pinkish folds reverberated inside his eyes, a sticky bridge falling down as he undressed her bottom. Though, squinting his eyebrows at the clear, smooth, and dim skin around the lips, he only stared at the girl¡¯s face, which turned away timely, not gazing at him in the slightest. So, before long, he moved his figure back before pinning the raised legs down.


    Ramming his lips at the lady¡¯s forbidden area, though not too harshly, he quickly guided his tongue beneath the moans playing out through the bedroom. Coming solely from the lady, the room had become fully enveloped in her sweet cries.


    Zyponia grabbed one of the purple pillows behind her before burying her face into it, however, it didn¡¯t seem to help.


    As he suddenly flicked the moistened, firmed bean atop her vagina, the legs flinched, getting out of his hold and clamping his head with the thighs. Yet, the man didn¡¯t seem to care for her reactions, continuing to deliver the pleasure under her muffled and lustful screams.


    Though, a few tens of breaths later, after letting her breathe for a moment, he raised himself back, pushing onto the hamstrings with his left forearm before putting the knees under her butt.


    Immediately, she released a startled squeal, taking the pillow to the side before witnessing as his fingers started to merge into her lower entrance. Caressing her lips for a second, he hastily intruded inside his lady.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She exclaimed with a somewhat louder voice, however, it was promptly drowned out under sprawling moans. ¡°Aahh,¡± with a stifled tongue, Zyponia uttered whilst his fingers began finding their way through the fleshy walls surrounding her vagina.


    With unbroken repetitions, he started moving his right wrist in and out swiftly, bringing out more pace the longer he played around the area. ¡°Ahh, ahh,¡± hearing the breaking voice coming from the front, both his member, as well as the arms, became fueled with more eagerness.


    Pressing down on her legs with the left, he quickly splashed around the sloppy liquids near her lips using his fingers. Though, even if he did it faster, the lady¡¯s voice remained on the same intensity, prompting his eyes to scour around the marked hand.


    The mark lit up momentarily, making him swiftly turn his head towards her shaved entrance. Without stopping, Lutiel began circling the walls of her pussy, going from the bottom around the sides, only to finally venture around the top.


    As though something struck through her, when his fingertips brushed past the area whilst sinking within it, the girl stopped for a brief moment, right before she suddenly tried to oppose his left forearm.


    Struggling and writhing through, her legs battled against him as she grasped onto the bed behind her, gripping tightly onto the duvet. No longer had she tried to little out the voices her mouth released, instead opting to moan louder. Not stopping for a moment, the man pushed against her sensitive spot, feeling as she started to twitch more and more.


    Enveloping his hand fully in the juices she was releasing, he didn¡¯t mind, eventually lowering his head to lick away around the top, further intensifying the plashing sounds coming out of her.


    Begging for more air while yearning for more of his touch, Zyponia closed her eyes fully, whimpering through the moans somewhat. ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± before long, she whispered, feeling something accumulating deep below. However, instead of fighting with the sensations, the girl tried to delve deeper into them, letting them shroud her mind wholly.


    She was just about to release all of it, yet, before the pleasure overtook her reasoning, she briskly stopped.


    A knock sprawled out from the doors, to which the girl acted immediately. Overpowering the man that continued as though he wasn¡¯t able to hear the banging on the wood, she quickly made him crawl under the duvet, she herself lying on the bed with pillows supporting the back of her head.


    ¡°Y-yes, prie chod in,¡± her voice breaking somewhat as she coughed away her previous session of moaning, the voice still steadied itself. Quickly, the doors parted away at the response.


    Meanwhile, the one staying under the bedding furrowed his eyebrows. Unable to witness the body from the shadows that filled his vision, he repeated her words inwardly. ¡®Tig, prie chod v? Huh? What? I can understand some of it?¡¯ He thought to himself, the eyes widening briskly while his chest started to hasten up.


    ¡°Lea you szal¡¯yr?¡± A familiar immediately called out. Although he couldn¡¯t see anything, Lutiel understood it was Folvana who had come inside the lady¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Yes on no, I ilku pelz dul a siq tiem,¡± Zyponia said calmly, her breath halted down to usual levels. ¡°Lei nuent recroche you venr?¡± Asking while the steps slowly staggered closer to her bed, the swordmaster¡¯s voice played out after she stopped walking.


    ¡°Prava, I nete¡¯e to gader to you u Lutiel,¡± her calm voice rampaged through the room, settling within every corner. ¡°You inbie gade me ars lei vic voi,¡± though, as she continued, the tone¡¯s coldness deviated slightly into irritation. Still, it didn¡¯t come off as aggressive in the slightest.


    ¡°Is junt kozs you lea gader¡¯yr u? I inbie nete to plin tisemau,¡± finally, the lady¡¯s voice didn¡¯t stagger around. Coming back to her usual, composed self, the girl spoke back immediately.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Junt is koni. Do aefrkozs you vanr,¡± the other side remarked, following on with a brisk pause. ¡°I ilku venr to crav kozs¡¯n you teeg ars¡¯o,¡± her firm voice quickly beset the demon lord, making her think silently for a few breaths.


    ¡°Ars lei bic¡¯yr seprez¡¯e in the involni gere. I vedi ars¡¯o nuent.¡±


    ¡°Vic ars lei lite¡¯p a scesc zdobec? I inbie crav, Zyponia,¡± Folvana¡¯s voice staggered around the room, though mostly through the tall bed.


    ¡°Nuent is no reisu dlar me to klem, I¡¯m gade¡¯yr you kozs I tisemau crav,¡± she sparked back instantly, only for silence to sprawl through every nook and cranny there was inside.


    ¡°I vidi. Nuent is recin I tomi do, arn oemra,¡± the girl said, briskly adding on once again. ¡°I inbie crav jes ars gede you bola not, ila I tane bic token¡¯yr ars¡¯o einc. I ilku venr to mive. You tomi gan vte to szal on we tomi gade einc yter.¡± The voice started to fade away slightly as she seemed to get closer to the doors. And, before Lutiel knew it, he heard them click back into place.


    Quickly, as he moved up from the hefty duvet covering him, his body glistened from the heat. Though, he cared more about the hiding lady in front of him. ¡°Zyponia?¡± He asked the lady, whose face was blocked by the hands. Yet, she quickly moved them away, looking quite startled at his eyes.


    ¡°Y-yes?¡± She asked, back in the human tongue, somewhat uncertain. Though, seeing his standing member at full display, having not diminished in the slightest despite the interrupting, she quickly focused onto it.


    ¡°Do you want to continue?¡± He asked, making her face spring back at him.


    ¡°Eh? Ah, sure,¡± she spoke, making his eyebrows furrow slightly, but he adjusted himself against the bed nonetheless, the demon swiftly doing the same before she once again showed everything to him. Spreading out her legs somewhat, the glistening lights of red and blue played out on her skin, making the man quickly descend his face.


    Though firstly, he grabbed her thighs before pushing them further down to the bedding, making her bare all of it to him, below her rosy cheeks looking down at the scenes. Already, her breath became sultry as the heart sped up anew, watching as he came closer to her pussy.


    ¡°Nghh,¡± she stumbled with the tongue, immuring in place after facing the pleasure a second time. The girl cocked her head back, sinking in the sheets while he nibbled on her clit and stirred through the pink folds. Once again, she started to feel something delving within much quicker than before, only to hide away her face with a pillow.


    Regardless, feeling his tongue play around her vagina, her muffled screams of pleasure came crawling out. Focused solely on the area in front of him, Lutiel sparingly looked up at the girl, but her body still ignited his eyes. Speedily, he omitted the thighs before slipping his finger underneath her bra, revealing the lady¡¯s nipples standing firmly towards the ceiling.


    Swiftly playing around with them whilst eating her pussy at the same time, before long, he felt her stomach muscles tense up while the legs started to convulse meekly.


    As she eventually gasped out of nowhere, longing for deeper breath, Lutiel raised his torso once the stream started to cover his abs and penis, lubricating it somewhat.


    Staring as the clear water diminished though, he quickly put his fingers around her pussy before rubbing side to side vehemently, only to hear as she bellowed out in further pleasure, unable to move in the slightest when more water came gushing out.


    Finally, when her ribs started to show from her heavy breathing, the man stopped. Looking down, he saw the puddle around the bedding, however, he was more attentive around the swollen lips. Without waiting any longer, he leaned forward, adjusting his tip to smudge against the vagina, yet, just as he was about to push inside, his body flew back.


    With imprints left around the chest, he swiftly tumbled through the carpet, stopping a few rolls further. ¡°Ugh,¡± groaning through the pain, his sight followed up to stare at the widened eyes of Zyponia, her arms raised in shock as she looked at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± she spoke quickly as the man started to collect himself around the carpet. ¡°I just, something came to my mind because Folvana went in here,¡± the girl said, Lutiel staring at her calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it. I know she made you realize what we were doing, so I will just go back to my room for today, okay?¡± He asked, standing on the carpet whilst staring at the lowered head of his lady.


    However, as he went over to his clothes, his figure stopped at her tongue. ¡°Hey, Lutiel,¡± she said, her eyes already raised back at him.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Asking, somewhat hesitant in the tone, he waited without reaching for his attire.


    ¡°Can we continue this another day? I want to feel you, all of you, without caring what others here think.¡± She asked, her blank face staring at him solemnly, only to spark out into a gleaming smile.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, finally reaching for his underwear Zyponia must have tossed back to the rest of his clothes. ¡°I will be waiting, then.¡± He said before the pants started to crawl up his legs.


    Yet, he quickly moved back once the crumbled shirt fell on him, startled at the girl running towards him. Breathing somewhat harshly, she had already put her lingerie back on before stopping a step before the man.


    Without waiting for his reactions, she grasped his face. ¡°Tanki you,¡± speaking through demonic, her lips briskly met his, Lutiel unable to respond as she had already pulled away from the kiss.


    ¡°What was that?¡± He spat out, lingering across her face.


    ¡°A little preview of what you will receive for your patience,¡± she said with a smirk around her. ¡°Alright, you can go back now,¡± the thrilled voice added, making him nod and break away from his lady¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he spoke, quickly putting the clothes back on while Zyponia stepped away, practically watching every move of his before he finally reached for the handle of the doors. ¡°Goodnight,¡± he added, only for the lady to wave as he opened the doors and left her bedroom.


    The moment his figure disappeared from the space, her body swiftly fell down, grabbing herself by the calves as she stared at the floor with widened eyes.


    Calming the head by putting her left hand around her chest for a moment, she stood back up and headed for her dress within a swift breath.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel swiftly entered the corridor, glancing sparingly left and right before going towards the stairs. However, with a hesitating step, he once again looked around, turning behind only to witness the stretching darkness of the hallway.


    And, as he finally left the space, a silent thud escaped through the floor, a figure falling down from the wall above Zyponia¡¯s doors. Looking at the stairs for a while, her pink lips turned towards the doors, staring at them with a sprawling smile, one filled with amusement.


    ¡°I guess I was half-right,¡± the man¡¯s instructor said whilst caressing her face. ¡°I will have to try the snack myself, then.¡±

 62. The Plan 1

    Staring beyond the window¡¯s freezing smudges with a keen eye, Lutiel kept shut. Watching as the trees around the mansion disappeared before new ones greeted his eyes, he listened to the quietude, being the sole person in the carriage.


    ¡®It¡¯s today, huh?¡¯ Thinking to himself while slowly focusing downwards, his eyes eventually traveled towards the left arm resting upon a thigh. Scouring the jacket, the man started revealing the pale skin around his left hand before long. Pulling the sleeve up ever so slightly, he stared at the veiny wrist, swiftly going upwards.


    Gingerly, he took the glove off his left hand before clenching it into a fist. ¡°Bler,¡± he whispered with the demonic tongue, squinting his eyes when the understanding of the word washed over him suddenly. ¡®It¡¯s like yesterday,¡¯ he mused, only to put the matter away and focus ahead of him as a sensation of warmth wrapped around the skin,


    Biting his teeth without uttering a single groan, the area beneath his knuckles unveiled the feeling immediately. Going in the center, covering his little dark mole, a circle the diameter of two coins scarred itself within the flesh, the lines making up small grooves rapidly glistening with a red liquid.


    However, the blood simply stayed there, not spilling out in the slightest. With a high curved line meeting the upper half and a wide arch going through the legs of the former on the bottom portion of the circle, some unknown letter he couldn¡¯t describe sat in the very middle.


    Glancing at the oath he had taken four days ago from the demon merchant, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but release a soft sigh when it started to dim out and the blood started drying out. ¡®There is no going back now. Any mention of his colluding and I¡¯m gone, huh?¡¯ Thinking for a few moments in utter silence, the slave cocked his head back slightly, recalling their words.


    ¡®Sheila, why did you do this? Why did you make all of them hate me? Please, just don¡¯t let it actually be you,¡¯ he muttered after the eyes closed, his eyebrows contorting ever so slightly. ¡®No, what am I even thinking about? It can¡¯t be. She died by own two hands, after all,¡± he said before a solemn breath escaped his mouth, finally glancing down at the oath anew.


    Engraving the image into his eyes, it stood within them for countless moments, to the point of the blood hardening completely. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Zyponia, I guess promises aren¡¯t for me,¡¯ he wondered to himself, his eyes gleaming distantly.


    Still, his state didn¡¯t stay that way for too long, finally voicing his tongue. ¡°Blood,¡± repeating the same word as before, he saw the wounds from the oath reverting back at an decisive pace. The pale skin of his, along with bluish strands across the top of his hands, reappeared as though nothing ever happened. With no scarred tissues, he brushed his gloved fingers over the area before putting the glove back on.


    At the same time, Lutiel looked at the city walls outside of the windows, his eyes travelling for the guards stationed at the very top. Quickly however, the carriage moved further before obstructing his sight.


    Going through the same lines as usual, he was about to ignore the words. Though, swiftly glancing over with his eyes, Lutiel stared intently at the guard¡¯s unchanging posture, only the lips giving way. ¡°Kozs is the reisu dlar vider?¡± The armored demon asked, making him scrunch his face whilst trying to decipher the full meaning.


    Nonetheless, immuring in place, he heard another set of words fall about. ¡°Geas are chod¡¯yr to pokuc reca dlar Lady Zyponia,¡± said the coachman in the front, only adding to Lutiel¡¯s working mind before the carriage started to move beneath the sound of gates raising themselves.


    And, quickly getting stuck on the words, the man couldn¡¯t notice the changing surroundings. Unmoving in the internal expanse of his, he no longer glanced over the working slaves, his sight overshadowed by the buildings on both sides.


    Similarly, he took no notice of the demons they drove past, as well as the different streets. Remaining ruminating, the man could only escape once Ravier¡¯s voice guided him.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± said the demon, making him break from his reverie. Briskly standing up, he didn¡¯t walk straight for the doors however. Watching the sidewalk near the buildings right before the market, his arms started moving once he saw it relatively empty.


    With a quick step, he closed the doors before heading towards the stands in the distance. Yet, he covertly strayed off towards the right side, getting closer and closer to the buildings before finally turning straight for the wall in front of him. Or rather, what should have been a wall.


    Staring at the dark, empty space sprawling out all the way to the next street, he promptly glanced at the short, brick walls protecting the stairs downwards on the right.


    Rattling against the alley, the slave eventually stopped in front of the stairs, glancing at the shadowy doors they led to. Tensing his breath, the man walked through the three steps before opening the doors, his ears met briskly with a dull noise coming from the dark horizon ahead of him.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Staring at the darkness flickering from the meek, pale yellow crystals on the walls, he walked through the brick-riddled space. And, without needing to tire his legs, his pupils portrayed another set of doors, this time, much more imposing. Reinforced with iron, the dark brown wood was additionally protected by the two armored demons standing on each side.


    ¡°Show your oath,¡± the right one spoke out immediately before both of their faces turned towards the human, inspecting every move of his. Watching through their black scleras, the red veins scattered around the eyelids tensed as they saw him take the glove away.


    ¡°Blood.¡±


    Yet, hearing him and witnessing the changes around his left hand, the cusped teeth of the previously talking guard showed again. ¡°Come inside,¡± he spoke, making the slave nod in response.


    Instantly, the doors creaked underneath no one''s movement, releasing the din it barely kept inside. Rushing out like a waft, the familiar words brushed Lutiel¡¯s ears before his feet battled through. Closing once again as his body entered the dark shroud, the flickering of lights repeated itself in the short path ahead, one he fully walked through before even knowing it.


    Enlightened dimly, however throughout, the vast expanse of the short cellar made him look at it twice. He had already witnessed it a few days ago when they kidnapped him, however, it still made him wonder whilst looking at it. Walking through, countless gazes fell upon the man, which he easily reciprocated.


    A man with one of his eyes gouged out kept staring at him, sitting on one of the many barrels around the wall. Regardless, sharpening his sword, he swiftly took more attention around his weapon rather than the exotic, human slave.


    Yet, there weren¡¯t many like him. More often than not, as he walked through the open space of the cellar-like structures, the people stopped doing their task to stare at him, doing so without stopping. Even as he went out of their sight, moving constantly ahead of him, their vision still lingered around.


    ¡®It¡¯s even more potent than that of the demons. How ironic,¡¯ the man thought to himself before focusing on the table he was headed to. Surrounded by tens of well-equipped people, few of whom kept to themselves by wearing deep cloaks, he swiftly saw the familiar faces, whose looks at him brought further attention over.


    Coming closer all the way towards the large, round table, he finally stopped before the merchant and the leader of the place.


    ¡°Alright, he¡¯s here,¡± said the other Lutiel after turning around to his men, only for their interest to deepen even further.


    Feeling an eerily potent gaze falling from the side, the man of intrigue turned to it, looking at the bald man standing in deep brown leather armor, metallic plates covering his most vital areas. Quite burly in stature, he crossed his arms before a broken grin fell on his scarred face. ¡°So he¡¯s the one that ripped your mouth apart, huh?¡±


    Though, as the statement scattered through the space, the man¡¯s light brown eyes couldn¡¯t help but turn away from his sudden laughter. ¡°Really? He looks like he¡¯s never fought in a battle,¡± amidst the shrouding laughter, he spoke, only for the few around him to share the emotions.


    ¡°Say whatever you want. You would have fallen even quicker than me,¡± the leader replied without batting an eye. Focusing around the man, he followed on. ¡°And don¡¯t even think of testing him right here. We have to talk things out.¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± a click of the tongue followed soon after, the man¡¯s face no longer as jubilant. Taking on a slightly grim twist of eyebrows, he simply listened while another figure barged in with a glib tongue.


    ¡°How about you inform us first before calling for the meeting? Why is a slave of a demon even allowed to come in here?¡± With ears covered by blond strands, the man donning leather solely started speaking. Even if his pale face conveyed softer than most there features, the well-built body of his made others shrink in comparison.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t he be allowed?¡± This time, the demonic merchant spoke back, only fuelling the man¡¯s awry presence. ¡°He¡¯s taken the oath, just like all of you did. There would be no way for him to reveal the hideouts.


    ¡°He¡¯s a slave of one of the demon lords. How are we supposed to know you aren¡¯t playing us when you have a single horn?¡± The same man asked, free of emotions, the soldiers around him sharing his opinions.


    Yet, the demon merchant looked at him blankly, staring directly into the blue eyes for a few silent moments. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve already devised a brand that she couldn¡¯t notice was faulty before. Zyponia won¡¯t see anything about the oath either,¡± beginning to smile whilst talking, he shut the man quickly, making him take a step back before he tried to speak up.


    ¡°Everything clear?¡± The leader asked suddenly, making the heads turn towards him. ¡°I called all of you here precisely because of him.¡±


    ¡°What? Then, what about the plan?¡± Raising his furrowed eyebrows faintly, the bald man asked, others following in his reactions.


    ¡°We will talk over it, but I wanted to introduce him first. He will be one of our biggest fighting powers for it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just got here, yet you treat him as one of us already?¡± Talking through the moans of indignation, the blonde man filled his face with puzzlement.


    ¡°Precisely. He will create a distraction before we take over the mines, so it¡¯s natural for him to be regarded highly of,¡± he kept speaking, despite the turning faces of the people gathered there. Looking to his left, the leader stared at the man for a brief moment. ¡°Tell them your real name, if you even remember it,¡± he added.


    ¡®The real one, huh? Should I use Kanthier? No, they must have heard of Zyponia using it.¡¯ Musing whilst taking in all of the glances digging into him, the man waited for a while before parting his lips. ¡°Thomas Mer,¡± he exclaimed, making the leader nod after a brief moment of hesitation.

 63. The Plan 2

    ¡°My name is Randall Tvenai, you next,¡± he spoke back before immediately turning at the two others standing directly against the edge of the table sprawled out with a few mugs of leftover beer sitting freely.


    ¡°Terryn.¡±


    ¡°Oliver Kosen,¡± the blonde man said right after the bald one, both succinctly before shutting themselves. They didn¡¯t even look around the demon lord¡¯s slave anymore. Instead, glances were thrown at the large map atop the table, describing the lands of the current Helasta, as Lutiel judged.


    Quickly peering down through the shoulder of Randall, he watched him move away slightly before turning towards him. ¡°Come closer, you need to understand it better,¡± he said, only for a remark to befall the table.


    ¡°Are you going to give him your ass next?¡± Terryn asked under the unamused face of the leader.


    Simply continuing with a blank look whilst omitting the disappearing jeers, his eyes focused onto the small, wooden figures placed around different spots.


    Most depicted beasts, disguised as demons, with only a few showing a human. Rummaging through his pockets, he swiftly emptied them onto the table, tens of coins falling out. The majority of them shined out a bronze gleam, with the rest being silver.


    Turning to his right, Randall¡¯s head stopped at the hooded figure standing in the middle of a group composed of three almost identical shadows. ¡°You can start. Have you got any news?¡± he spoke calmly before a solemn silence scattered throughout the whole space. Any works on expanding the hideout stopped briskly as well, the pickaxes no longer digging away.


    And, suffocating in the peaceful airs, the fabric around the hood flinched barely. ¡°Yes,¡± the deep voice uttered tersely, yet as it engulfed the space, tense glances filled with potent vigour wrapped around him.


    Looking at the hiding demon, the people around the table couldn¡¯t help but envelop their faces in a more serious expression, not caring about the minute issues at hand. ¡°Tell us,¡± Randall spoke immediately, furrowing his eyebrows with a lowered glare.


    ¡°From our ventures, we have acquired notice of three important events, one of which isn¡¯t so desirable. Which ones do you want to hear first?¡±


    ¡°Save the bad one for the end,¡± the leader spoke, holding his chin in thought while staring at the nonexistent face of the hood.


    ¡°Fair enough. In roughly a month and a half, right before the calendar starts anew, there is to be held a tournament for young nobles inside the city. Because of the occasion, more energy will be needed, hence why the coal docks will begin gathering more boulders from the sea.¡±


    ¡°How is that supposed to help us?¡± Terryn interjected all of a sudden, his crossed arms firmly pressing against each other. However, at the words, the cloaked figures weren¡¯t able to speak out swiftly enough before Randall gathered focus.


    ¡°Just listen for now and you will understand,¡± he barked back, leaning over the table. Putting his fingertips against four bronze coins, he moved them towards the shore around the city, where a small figure stood calmly. Repeating the motion before his eyes came back at the demon, he gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°In the three days they will be raising their workflow, instead of extracting from three explosions, they will be increasing it to six, which means more demons aboard the ships,¡± the voice steadily unveiled the information, falling onto Terryn¡¯s ears whilst his face eased up. Though, quickly, he fell into thought.


    Without stopping for his, or any of the revolutionaries¡¯ reactions, the demon simply continued. ¡°At that time, Thomas will have already notified Lady Zyponia of our supposed attack on the docks, gathering even further demons to protect the place.¡± Suddenly, the yellowish brown eyes flinched, his bearded chin turning at the white-haired slave. However, before his lips could part away, the blonde man stretched his voice out.


    ¡°Are we sure she will take the bait?¡± Oliver asked, and just like most of the humans around, he glanced at both the man in question, as well as the leader.


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the missions we have handed out to him. He will have to get closer to Zyponia for her to fully trust him,¡± replying swiftly, his head turned to the left, glancing at the slave just like almost all gathered there.


    ¡°Hey, slave,¡± Terryn quickly caught his attention, to which others followed back and forth at their exchange. ¡°You think you can do it?¡±


    Silent for a few breaths, Lutiel stared at his mellow eyes for a while, however, with a firm stance around the face, he didn¡¯t leave them hanging. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. Although she seems cold, she¡¯s started to open up slowly.¡±


    ¡°I bet a good fucking will do the job,¡± he spoke through a meager grin, swiftly losing the man¡¯s image around his eyes. ¡°Randall, you could have given me that job, you know my tastes,¡± saying to the man with a hidden excitement in the eyes, they swiftly festered however.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Even flies don¡¯t linger around your ugly face, why do you think she would?¡± Replying with a question, jeers of laughter fell around whilst Terryn¡¯s brows furrowed, a scowl forming as he broke into silence.


    ¡°Please continue,¡± said Randall a breath later, directed at the hooded faces.


    ¡°At the same time when the tournament happens, the guards around the city walls and the inner part will also be increased.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± The man in blond asked all of a sudden, finding the reasoning at fault. And, turning to him understandably, the cloak swiftly replied to all of the curious ears, albeit disappointing them somewhat.


    ¡°We will get to why soon enough. Now, since so many guards are needed to keep attention on the most valuable assets, the mountains won¡¯t be protected nearly to the same degree as normally, which means a lesser shielding for the fortress overseeing the iron mines, the place that never loses its number of demons inside.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying the demons from the mines will come to strengthen the place?¡± Oliver asked, fuelling the tense air around the soldiers. The excitement riddled within their eyes was unlike ever, especially at the demon¡¯s following words.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spat out succinctly before immediately going on. ¡°Without the fortress, their sight of the lands will decrease tremendously, and they need it more than ever now that we started using explosives. They can¡¯t allow themselves to lose it and suffer casualties like at the ball.¡±


    Standing in the middle of the cheers and enthralled whispers, Lutiel didn¡¯t speak out anything. ¡®What a load of shit. There is no way the demons would care. Even if they did, how many humans will you sacrifice in order to take back the mines?¡¯ He thought to himself while changing between the cloaked demons, as well as the merchant. Yet, seeing as the one that bound him to Zyponia glanced at him discreetly, the man quickly went back to listening on the matter.


    ¡°The timing¡¯s perfect. Luciel has finally shone his light upon us,¡± Terryn said before gritting his teeth, clenching the jaw into a full smile. However, as joyful as the people around were, they quickly fell into silence. Another statement fell out from the hood¡¯s shadow.


    ¡°The tournament isn¡¯t just for this city. Edging close to the border of Nemir, the city of Evrig, which is the residency of Genor, will be taking part. They will be bringing demons of their own here, which decreases our chances of success, but it¡¯s still higher than attacking on a whim,¡± he said, making the rest fall into complete silence, almost wholly rid of their prior vigor.


    Even Randall didn¡¯t seem too fond to hear the news, however, leaving his eyes down at the map for a brisk few moments, he finally spoke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We don¡¯t know just how many months or years we would have to wait before another opportunity falls into our hands. We need to take what we have,¡± he added, only to bring his head up at Oliver¡¯s words.


    ¡°No, isn¡¯t it even better now?¡± He asked, all of the interest catching his voice.


    The leader furrowed his brows somewhat, however, Terryn was the first to utter out his ridiculousness. ¡°How is another demon lord ever better?¡±


    ¡°Just think about it, all of the attention will be gathered at the arena where the tournament will be held. All we have to do is create commotion big enough for them to start moving,¡± he started speaking before moving his right hand towards the eight coins around the coast. Pulling them out into the middle of the city, he raised his head at the leader.


    ¡°The docks were going to be a feint regardless, so why even bring the army there? Just plant some big explosives to stir up movement. Now, let¡¯s actually send the soldiers to the tunnels below the city. Just blow up a few buildings to let them know of us,¡± he continued, making Randall ponder silently for a while.


    ¡°That¡¯s very much possible, they are also going to be distracted for far longer than with just the coal docks. What do you think? Can you provide that much explosives?¡± he suddenly turned to the merchant, who simply glanced around the table, sighing highly at the expectant looks.


    ¡°Yes, I can get a lot more than what was used for the palace,¡± he replied, quickly stifling the gleams of excitement. ¡°It won¡¯t be cheap, though.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± the man raised his chin somewhat, no longer caring too much about the demon. ¡°You will get a bonus on top of your share of mined ore,¡± he added, already looking at the men around the table.


    ¡°Is there no more information?¡± Suddenly, Terryn asked, but the hooded demons shook their heads faintly, making him lean backwards slightly, the head churning. Gradually, as a few breaths passed, he finally looked down. ¡°Okay, let''s see what it will look like, I need to describe it to my men,¡± his voice trailed towards the leader he was staring at, making him nod at the suggestion.


    Slowly descending towards the map, he supported himself against the table while looking around the men coming closer. Taking hold of a free figure of a human, he started away. ¡°First of all, the plan can still change, but a rough draft shall be drawn. After Thomas woos Zyponia, he gives her a solid reason to notify the demon guards to solidify the defenses of the coal docks.¡±


    Moving the figure of a human towards the shore, he brought over two silver coins as well, surrounding the figure before taking them away.


    ¡°Although they will be puzzled by the explosions with no attacks, it won¡¯t take them long to realize something is amiss. So, before they get to the mines and the fortress, the groups stationed inside the inner parts of the city will start detonating their own explosives and bringing down buildings. And at the same time, the main forces that hid away near the mines will finally start to move and attack.¡±


    Scattering out the bronze coins around the city, he pushed the majority of them towards the mountains on the map, the ones overseeing the city. ¡°Even if they want to protect the mines, they will still send less demons there since they need to deal with the army exploding the buildings.


    Taking a few silver coins to the city, he halved them before pushing three coins towards the pile of bronze near the mountains. ¡°The worst scenario will be if they send both Zyponia and Genor to deal with us, and that will most likely happen, however, we don¡¯t have to worry about that. There is a plan for that already,¡± he said, supporting his fists against the paper whilst looking at the men with a faint smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s time we bring back glory to the empire,¡± uttering under the smirk, immediate reactions stirred up from the front, all while Lutiel¡¯s indifferent eyes stared at the map blankly.

 64. Testing 1

    ¡®What the hell is she doing?¡¯ A brisk thought washed over him, raising his head suddenly to stare at the trees crawling up around his sight.


    Mostly darkly green, with intermittent crossing of warm shades, he watched as the tall pines bended beneath the wind. However, a staggered breathing swiftly prompted him to stop looking between the gaps of the fidgeting branches.


    ¡°Ghaa,¡± groaning through a lost breath, he couldn¡¯t help but finally look down at the faint, slurping noises coming from right below him.


    Instantly, a pinkish shade met his vision, watching the curved black horns at the top move up and down nippily.


    Her lips were parted slightly, pouted out. And with her sleek, left hand hovering over his fully erect shaft, she slowly yet attentively lingered her tongue around the cock. Brimming with power, it stood unbeaten against the winds. The only thing that made it quiver was the warm, red tongue crawling outside of her lips.


    Folvana lowered her face swiftly, bringing the soft tissue around his wrinkly skin. Then, she moved it up, covering the underside of his member with vaguely glistening saliva. He couldn¡¯t witness the world around him anymore, immured from the sensations she brought over to him.


    ¡°No wonder Zyponia can¡¯t push you away,¡± the voice brushed his ears as she pulled away, beginning to pound her hand up and down on the base. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to either,¡± the girl added before looking at his troubled face. A faint smirk started to crawl up her face, stopping somewhat when he spoke up.


    ¡°Were you listening last night? I knew I felt someone watching me,¡± his mended voice met her ears, to which she simply lowered her face and looked at him.


    ¡°Would you look at that? You¡¯re impressing me more and more, though I don¡¯t think it will beat this huge cock,¡± having said so, her lips were once again busy, crawling up and down the moistened skin around his erection.


    ¡°Can you stop suppressing my body with your magic already?¡± He asked through halted breaths, only to suddenly lean his torso forward from the abrupt flow of pleasure. Laughing to herself lightly as she pulled the member down, pushing against his ballsack, Folvana swiftly moved to look at him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been using it for a while now. You¡¯re simply enjoying yourself right now, you know?¡± Asking through a somewhat amused look, she raised her torso straight, sitting on her calves around the soft moss. Both of them being beside the tall tree, Lutiel sat with his back against the bark, his eyes widened to the limit from the prior words.


    ¡°Wha?¡± He asked while quickly moving his arms around, however, even if he wanted to push her away, he couldn¡¯t as the sword instructor once again fell down at his penis.


    Stuck to the side, she swiftly took her hand away from the bottom before grabbing by the glans, tilting the shaft along with her head to lick the skin everywhere.


    Leaving no spot left, the right side of his dick glistened fully while he himself started to enjoy the view. Glancing down in a relaxed position, he put his hands against the protruding roots of the tree. Regaining somewhat of a control through his breathing, Lutiel no longer denied her claims, not resisting in the slightest as Folvana began caressing the other side.


    Turning to the left, she exchanged her hands before tilting it once again, gingerly covering her dripping saliva along the shaft. She moved down steadily to the white hairs around the base, all the way to the bursting glans trembling under her care.


    Soon, the girl finished covering all of the spots on the sides, however, she was nowhere near done. With a dire soothe of her tongue around the lips, she engulfed them with spit before they gleamed despite the dull rays.


    Not giving him a break in the slightest, his mouth opened up faintly to be left staggered, kept in the position for a brisk while as she sucked on the bottom portion of his glans. Practically smooching over it, her tongue quickly got out, smearing repeatedly against the sensitive flesh.


    Glancing up at his face, she saw as his eyes started to revert their gleam, no longer glancing at the world around him.


    Releasing short, strong breaths through the nose, Lutiel clenched his jaw as the girl began speeding up. Failing to keep only around the tip that loosely matched her skin, she started to stroke his shaft around the base, making sure not to hit the wrinkly skin further below.


    Massaging the glans through her tongue in circular motions, Folvana kept her golden sight around him, watching as he started to breathe even harder than a few breaths prior. Through a troubled expression, her hand felt the twitches of his member, prompting the girl to suddenly pull down on the shaft, tilting the tip to the side.


    Gasping silently for a fresh breath of air, an arch of pure white came out of the opened tip. Soiling his bare thighs along with some of the tree roots he sat snugly around, a faint smear remained around the still hard member. Pulsing about as though it was nothing, the man quickly regained his sight and proper breathing, glancing at the girl with a waiting expression.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    And, she didn¡¯t disappoint him for long. Flaunting the penis around, she moved it to her heart¡¯s content, only to stay silent while staring at the smudgy tip. Soon, her figure fell, with the head stopping right around his cock.


    Placing her lips around the dirty urethra, she licked the cum off of it before suddenly peering up at his face. Keeping quiet about her sensations however, Folvana parted the lips fully, surrounding his tip with them before engulfing her mouth with his member.


    Leisurely because he had ejaculated just moments prior, she sucked upon the glans. Steadily moving her head up and down, she caressed the spot.


    However, seeing and hearing little reactions from the man, she didn¡¯t hesitate to regain her former intensity. Sucking roughly on the penis, she suddenly released it from her mouth with a popping sound, only to do it again.


    Repeatedly, she caressed the glans before taking it out fiercely, but the man gave no gestures for her to ease up. Beneath his faint moans and groans as she did the motions for a lasting while, Folvana finally veered off into a different direction.


    Suddenly, making his eyes widen both from the sensations, as well from sheer surprise, he watched as her already filled mouth started to descend further down the shaft. Gradually, she had reached all the way to the middle of his member, gurgling sounds escaping her throat as his tip tickled it. Quickly, she pulled away from it, breathing louder than before while a mucous liquid connected her lips with his member.


    Before long, she once again lowered her head, and unlike before, she didn¡¯t pull it out so suddenly. With groans escaping his mouth at her ploys, his purple eyes watched as she bobbed her head up and down, vehemently.


    Out of nowhere, from the sudden increase in pleasure, a silent desire took hold of his body, moving his arms through the space before arriving at the girl¡¯s nape.


    Although she abruptly raised her eyes at him when he grabbed the back of her head, she hadn¡¯t stopped sucking on his cock in the slightest. With the fleeting glare, Folvana quickly closed her eyes, even speeding up somewhat whilst he caressed through the strands of her deeply red hair.


    Then, she suddenly opened her eyes wide, looking at his pubic hair as he pushed her down even further than before. Barely withstanding herself from choking, the girl¡¯s eyes once again flowed up. Yet, as she stared at his cocked back head, she no longer grasped her hands around her member, instead wrapping them around his waist and resuming. Despite the gurgles, her nose finally touched his white hairs, distracting herself as she smelled the sweaty area.


    Regaining hold of her senses, Folvana briskly cocked her head up and down, additionally guided by the man¡¯s movement. However, as soon as she lost her breath, the girl easily overpowered his grasp, leaving his cock glistening as further of the viscous substance was spat out from her mouth at him.


    Raising her torso, she harshly grabbed onto the penis before stroking it hastily. With motions even faster than before he came, his face twitched from the pleasure incessantly.


    Meanwhile, her brows furrowed from the glare she was producing at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it gone, you better not hold my head like that again,¡± her voice reached his ears, despite the lustful sensations colluding his mind.


    ¡°Really?¡± He asked calmly, raising his head down. ¡°It seemed as though you liked it, ah!¡± The man said, only to release a high-pitched noise from the flick of her finger around his tip. ¡°What was that for? I was telling th- ah!¡± Once again, he released the noise, however, it wasn¡¯t from pain this time.


    Her head flashed in front of him before his mind had been overtaken by the sudden sensations. Going down at his penis anew, she started rocking her head after taking most of the top around her mouth. Sucking it with a ferocious force, his stomach could only cave in from the sudden gasps for air, all while the girl focused on doing exactly that.


    This time, he couldn¡¯t do anything other than lean back against the tree and support himself with his palms. Shrouded by the veil of pleasure coming over from the girl, for the second time already, he was nearing his limits.


    Slowly, she made his abs tense up while the cock shivered with tremors. Focusing her suction around the tip, the girl stopped and braced herself for the release as it started to swell up.


    Almost feeling as the substance moved across his shaft, her tongue was immediately swimming in the pool of semen streaming out.


    With a hastened breathing, Lutiel¡¯s chest heaved up and down whilst staring at the girl. Even though he had ejaculated twice with barely any break in between, it didn¡¯t go down no matter what after watching her suck away the last strand of cum from his urethra before spitting it all out on the grass around the forest.


    Staring down at his fully erect cock, she didn¡¯t go down at it anymore.


    Somewhat disappointed in the eyes whilst he watched her stand up, they quickly lit up as the girl started to untie the laces around her leather pants.


    ¡°It really doesn¡¯t want to calm down at all, huh?¡± She muttered underneath her breath, starting to lower her body while pulling down onto her pants. ¡°Well, not that I mind it,¡± she added before her full view reverberated in front of him.


    Watching as she came closer to stand in front of him with the moistened, red hairs flaring up around her lower lips, the sleek labia dripped occasionally. However, the man was especially focused on the next words falling out of her.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t done it with her yet, have you?¡± She asked, to which he faintly shook his head before adding the smirk around her lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad, cheating on your lady with a girl you met just yesterday?¡± She suddenly lowered her head, quickly reaching for his ears before whispering away. ¡°You¡¯re quite bad, you know?¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting you started all of this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be blamed. You could have stopped me, after all,¡± looking down, Folvana said before positioning herself against his cock, with hands around his shoulders. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind. I¡¯m just testing if you will be appropriate for our little miss.¡±


    Saying the words, she began to lower herself, all while the man continued to stare at the images. However, with his sultry breath coming out, he couldn¡¯t do anything but wait with anticipation as the events unfolded by themselves. With nothing stopping them, she crouched down, proudly showing her all before him.

 65. Testing 2

    Finally, Folvana touched his tip with her tight lips, only to fall down at his cock excitedly, squirming in pleasure out of nowhere when most of his length covered the insides of her vagina, instantly knocking onto the entrance of her womb. ¡°Nghnn!¡± Yelping out, she quickly covered her mouth with a hand while the man turned astonished.


    Raising his eyebrows at the thrilled noise, he was just about to voice something when her right hand covered his mouth similarly. ¡°I was surprised, that¡¯s all,¡± the girl said, releasing a deep breath right after. ¡°Fuu, I have to say, you''re the biggest one I¡¯ve had yet, but I''ve adjusted already, so don¡¯t think you will ever be hearing that another time.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, teacher,¡± the man spoke through the rash breaths as well, not believing the girl in the slightest, to which she clenched her jaw.


    ¡°You better get ready. If you don¡¯t make me come like you made Zyponia, you won¡¯t be able to move by the end of today¡¯s training.¡±


    ¡°I will try my best, but it¡¯s hard to move in this position,¡± he said, only for his eyes to start to flicker when the girl finally moved from the position.


    ¡°All I¡¯m hearing are excuses,¡± through a stifled tongue, she still couldn¡¯t hide the whimpering moans escaping out. At the same time, Folvana staggered from his motions as he suddenly grabbed her round butt. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± She asked, however, Lutiel simply moved her ass up and down.


    ¡°I have to do something at least,¡± he said to the girl, to which she simply shut herself, writhing her crotch against his as the two started to pound each other. Splashing sounds filled out the forest¡¯s scapes while the duo fully indulged in one another.


    Bouncing up and down against his cock, her straight hair swayed from the motions, but the girl never stopped looking at the man she held firmly with her arms.


    ¡°What? Why are you staring at me like that? Do you want to kiss me?¡± She asked after peering into his eyes, swiftly remaining silent at his quick response.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke tersely, continuing to guide her bottom around his hard member. Starting to lean forward with closed eyes, his lips suddenly met something, only to feel a finger enveloping them as he raised his eyelids.


    ¡°Leave that for Zyponia, not me,¡± she said, staring at his somewhat dejected face before increasing her speed. Looking up suddenly, the man found a different area of interest instead, looking at her tits bouncing through the loose shirt.


    Before her face fell down yet again, his left hand became free, only to wriggle around the chaotic laces flying about near her chest. Instantly, he gained her attention, the girl leisurely moving her eyes down at him. Her hand swiftly grabbed hold of his wrist. ¡°If you want to see them, start moving that big cock of yours, my classes aren¡¯t fit for the lazy,¡± she said, making his eyebrows furrow.


    ¡°Did something change again? Aren¡¯t you only teaching me the sword?¡±


    ¡°Goes both ways, gha!¡± She uttered before releasing an abrupt sound, quickly covered by her hand yet again. Stimulated out of nowhere by the man starting to move, he grasped onto her buttocks firmly, adjusting himself to the movements she played out.


    Just as she reached the top and started to fall down on his cock again, he would begin moving his waist upwards, the two meeting the middle before he backed away. Repeating the motions countless times, her face searched for the branches, no longer caring about the laces around her chest coming undone.


    Although a bit trickier, the man still made it work. Seeing as the rouge mounds fell out, his eyes were lured in immediately, locking his gaze at the blood-red areolas and nipples standing towards him already firmed up.


    With no hesitant moves, his arms quickly left the girl¡¯s buttocks, moving towards her hands instead. Although somewhat surprised by the sudden movement, the girl glanced down momentarily before accepting how he wrapped her arms around his nape.


    Still moving his hips, Lutiel was freed to play with her breasts, making use of the opportunity forthwith while her moans escaped repeatedly. Biting her tongue and lips however, the girl continued to jump up and down on his dick, looking at the murky branches sprawling out around the trees.


    Consuming the forest¡¯s peace for themselves, they filled it with their lustful tongues. Especially the girl, who started to break more and more. Each time Lutiel flicked her tense nipples, the girl shivered below, sending tremors around his cock.


    Steadily knocking into the soft wall that warmly coated itself around his tip, he played with the breasts that perfectly fit his hands at the same time. Adjusting the nipple teasing, he flicked them just a moment before his head banged gently onto the womb. Intensifying almost immediately, she finally stopped hiding and screamed her pleasures out.


    ¡°Ah, vic raf,¡± she whispered, the man almost unable to hear it through the panting moans. Yet, he locked gazes with her.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Through his own groans, he asked, only to endure a sprawling silence.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± she said after bringing and pressing her mouth against his ear. ¡°Just keep fucking me like right now,¡± Folvana added whilst licking him meekly.


    The reaction to her taunts successful, the man immediately started to pick up his pace around her pussy. Faster than ever, despite the sweat dripping down both of their faces, she continued to moan into his ears while her student assaulted the cuspy, round nipples around his fingers.


    Yet suddenly, she squirmed, clenching her jaw and raising the head high up, revealing the protruding veins around her neck. Having found his footing around, Lutiel grabbed her butt before abruptly raising himself, promptly taking the arms under her knees and letting her fall directly onto his penis. Clenching around his cock with her vagina harsher than before, both of them almost drowned in the pleasure before the man regained his grip.


    ¡°What are you doing? Place me down,¡± she ordered through a soft, mellowy voice, but he didn¡¯t listen the way Folvana wanted him to.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said sparingly before her eyes widened as he went down to his knees, placing her back against the soft grass she sucked his dick on. Before she could complain however, her face swiftly turned to the side, biting on her fingers when he started to dig through her sacred place with his member.


    ¡°You¡­ really¡­ need further¡­ teaching,¡± barely able to speak through her muffled tongue, the girl¡¯s breasts started to bounce erratically beneath his voracious movements. Speedily, he exchanged their liquids while pouncing on her, the plashing sounds only growing from the girl¡¯s ever flowing excitement.


    However, his hands quickly tended for the swaying nipples. Grabbing hold of them, Lutiel once again pulsed his grip around before slowly descending down at the left nipple.


    Playing with the right with his fingers, he sucked on the left one, making her practically scream in pleasure. ¡°Anghh!¡± The girl let out instantly, gradually increasing in vigour as he sped up hips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, I¡¯m coming,¡± she uttered, pushing his head down at the nipple further.


    ¡°Me too,¡± he said fleetingly, trying to break from her grasp. However, his eyes widened as she spoke anew.


    ¡°You can do it inside,¡± she said, adding before he could stop the movements. ¡°Demons can¡¯t conceive children from human sperm,¡± her voice brushing his ears, the man knocked onto her womb even faster than before, watching as the girl visibly convulsed, her eyes shaking somewhat as she started to release a liquid, swiftly drenching the jacket still on him.


    However, neither cared whatsoever, the man suddenly stopping before pushing even deeper against her thighs, filling her craving spaces whilst tightening the grip around her breasts. The girl tensed her muscles below as well, freezing his penis in the position.


    Panting gasps of coveted lust resounded through the trees, catching the ears of any creature yet to run away. Finally, Lutiel began to move away after a few suspenseful breaths. Pulling his torso back, his erect member started going out, needing a while to fully escape her grasp. With a mellow popping noise, the lack of air inside was quickly filled up.


    The man looked down at himself, as well as the girl ahead. Still trembling slightly, Folvana¡¯s parted entrance dripped meekly with a viscous substance, only to be washed away by the urine she was continuously releasing in faint portions. Though, realizing her state inadvertently, the golden eyes trembled before she swiftly gathered herself up.


    Standing with bare feet against the green blades, the girl omitted looking at the man and especially the unhurriedly abating erection of his. Pulling herself to the side, veiling the vaguely wobbling state, Folvana quickly reached for the glossy, black pants on the ground.


    One after another, she pulled the legs up before tying the laces, prompting the man to start dressing up as well. Within a few brisk breaths, the quiet duo got dressed up, albeit with a few faults.


    The jacket, having already dried itself off the juices, fell neatly on the man, a shining sword in his right grasp. However, standing in the middle of the trees, Lutiel couldn¡¯t focus as sharply as before. Turning and walking over to him with the wooden sword in her right hand, they were just about to begin the lecture. Yet, quickly glancing down at the man, her brows festered badly.


    The eyes quickly fell on his face after seeing the pants tighten up around his crotch, a long crease starting to form under the belt.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t tied your shirt,¡± he said bluntly, staring directly at her exposed nipples. Briskly, she looked down at herself before taking the laces and tying them tightly, shrouding any sight away from the man.


    ¡°How are you still raring to go?¡± She asked, somewhat astonished.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel even more energized after doing it,¡± he replied suddenly, stretching his shoulders whilst her vision quickly scoured through him.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re more energetic after having sex? Physically, or mentally?¡± The girl pried with a dubious eye, and the man didn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°Both,¡± the voice scattered through the space as he clenched his hands along the hilt. However, he quickly stood frozen in place together with the blade hanging ahead of him. For yet another time, she had stopped the actions of his muscles with the invisible grasp Folvana had onto him.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± she muttered to herself, approaching the man with a calm gait. She went over to him, taking out her slender arm to rummage through his jacket and shirt. Wriggling underneath the fabric, she finally stopped to feel for the metallic brand, placing her palm over it to feel for the strong beatings.


    Immediately, as she felt the harsh pound tremble through his chest, Lutiel witnessed as her eyes flinched wide open. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ He pondered equally as a stupor replaced her mien.


    Ten or so beats later, she finally took the hand away, the face following right after. With the serious look she usually displayed, the man could move anew. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± He asked, making her stay silent for a moment before the expression changed minutely.


    ¡°No, everything¡¯s perfect,¡± said Folvana, her face sitting in between sternness and a smirk, choosing neither end. ¡°Lutiel, do you still feel sore from yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± He asked all of a sudden whilst moving around. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± the man said, a faint surprise washing over him.


    ¡°You really are a mystery, huh?¡± She asked, staring him up and down for a while before turning around and walking back. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start today¡¯s session, then. Bring up your stance, the same as yesterday.¡±

 66. Fleeting Night 1

    Angling herself to him right after the words fell out, he didn¡¯t ponder the matter any longer, focusing on the training for the moment. Grabbing the sword tightly, his grip let out a creak against the leather.


    With concise movements, he moved the arms while lowering himself in the knees, briskly finding difficulties with the terrain.


    Uneven throughout, with lingering roots forbidding his feet to form a proper stance, aid swiftly rumbled along his ears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so tight on the ankles or you¡¯re going to break them in the future. Even if the terrain is rougher than usual, make your feet comfortable against it,¡± she said, watching as a reply came forth swiftly.


    Adjusting himself to the words, he still needed a few more corrections from the lady, but he eventually stood composed on the forest¡¯s grounds.


    Copying her student, the girl¡¯s sword raised itself above her right shoulder, pointing behind her. Then, she followed first, slashing the air diagonally before watching as Lutiel had done it. For countless repetitions, they cut through the air, yet, the man wasn¡¯t nearly as drained as yesterday.


    Smearing away the sweat gathered up around his forehead, he stood with an erect back while the girl finally spoke the words. ¡°We¡¯re done. Let¡¯s go back before it actually sets,¡± she said to him, watching as shadows started to encroach along the trees.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he muttered before nodding vaguely.


    Walking through a few trees, they didn¡¯t need to traverse for long before seeing the horse she had tied up to a tree near the road heading to and fro the mansion, though rather than the one to the city, they traveled to the forest set right before the mountains.


    Peering at the peacefully lying horse, it quickly stood up however. Watching as the duo came closer, its pale hair swayed after a neigh crawled out of its mouth. Swiftly, Folvana halted herself a step away from the white horse, caressing the mane for a moment before Lutiel watched her hop onto the saddle in a facile manner.


    Jumping on it gently, the horse felt no tremors spread out as the girl did it rather silently, grabbing the reins and fitting her shoes in the stirrups. Then, Lutiel watched her turn at him. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Get on,¡± she said, and the student didn¡¯t voice out any objections.


    Putting his foot on the second set of stirrups behind Folvana, he briskly pushed onto the horse. Despite falling quite harshly, the horse let out only a faint breath, signifying its zeal.


    Before they could start truly though, the red-skinned demon turned her face around, watching the man behind her put his palms down onto the saddle.


    ¡°What are you doing? Come closer as before,¡± she said with stern eyebrows, pulling his arms closer for him to sit pressed against her back whilst wrapped around her stomach. Yet, as she turned her head away, a sudden movement dug into her bottom.


    Looking at the back of her red hair, Lutiel awaited the words from her mouth, only for his eyes to churn when the girl kept silent. No, rather, she tried to fit herself more snugly against his crotch, leaving no room for freedom before moving the horse back on the track.


    Practically clinging to her back, he simply let her guide them back to the mansion, hopefully calming down in the meantime.


    ¡­


    Creasing and rustling against his skin, the fabric smoothly flowed down to the bed. Standing in the darkness, Lutiel let all of the day¡¯s clothes pile up, promptly bringing them over to the desk in one fell swoop.


    Finishing, he walked over to the wardrobe, donning solely the fair underwear. Opening the doors and taking the set for the night, he threw the shirt onto the bed whilst starting to put on the slightly loose pants.


    A breath later, he stood in the center of his room, glaring outside of the window at the stars hanging in the dull skies. Then, his eyelids fell down, inviting the darkness within him. Readying his breath, he exhaled before dropping his torso.


    Plummeting with the torso while his legs stood straight, he quickly grabbed himself by the calves, pulling onto them for his head to touch the shins. Slowly, they started to heat up as he stayed in the bent position, his blood fastening.


    Kept in the position for a while, he finally moved up, only to send a rich kick upwards. Both legs straight as they could be, one showed its sole to the floor while the other to the shadowed ceiling. Keeping his back upright, Lutiel waited for a few breaths before exchanging the legs.


    After also jumping on his feet for a bit, he quickly stood firmly against the panels, his skin starting to glisten out. Moving the arms behind, he clasped them before extending up, higher with each time he started to feel something.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Nimbly bringing them over his head, he kept the arms there for as long as he could, breathing out deeply as he finally let them descend. Then, they started moving around in circles, changing directions an equal number of times before doing the same with his hips.


    Raising his chin as he felt his body heat up, Lutiel promptly fell face first at the ground, catching himself silently with his arms. Stretching out the hands, his chest soon threatened to hit against the wooden floor, only for his eyes to widen when he pushed away. Although he staggered for a second, once again, he barely missed the panels with his chest before moving up.


    ¡®So easy,¡¯ his eyebrows started to furrow both at the thought, as well as the sensations around his arms. ¡®I don¡¯t feel any strain whatsoever,¡¯ he mused, swiftly repeating the motions and almost forgetting himself.


    ¡®It must be because of my increased magical energy, whatever it is,¡¯ he thought, slowing the moves completely before releasing a stronger force abruptly.


    Using his arms and legs, he pushed his body off the floor, floating momentarily before catching himself with his hands while the feet were still in the air.


    Lutiel raised the legs steadily, showing his soles to the ceiling before immuring in place, holding still for as long as he could. ¡®From Luviene¡¯s words, I must be gaining more of it when just standing next to strong people, but Folvana¡¯s actions seemed as though I receive it from intercourse as well. Is it because my skin is touching theirs directly? I still know so little,¡± he pondered while droplets of sweat started to crowd his face.


    ¡®Should I finally ask someone to teach me about magic? The lessons with Camilla are more or less the same, besides, I still can¡¯t understand most of demonic,¡¯ the thoughts troubled the man, making Lutiel lower his figure before raising it back up.


    ¡®Who should I ask, though? Zyponia? Raeyine?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t make up his mind, to which the body finally fell through the space, soon standing on his feet anew. Frozen in place for a while, the droplets trickled down the glistening skin.


    Raising one knee in the air, in an effortless manner, he squatted, touching the panels with his bottom and raising himself back, the same thoughts as before coursing through him. Quickly, he repeated the exercise tens of times, doing the exact motion for the other leg.


    However, as he stood up again, despite the sweat slowly dripping from him, his breathing stayed calm. His eyes soon fell down upon his muscular torso, stretching out the forearms and clenching them. ¡®I thought it would take years to come back to my previous strength, yet I''ve surpassed it within a few weeks. I¡¯m only missing my fighting skills now.¡¯


    Lingering around the veiny arms for a few breaths, Lutiel gradually receded to his casual stance.


    Closing his eyes however, he turned to the right, no longer straight as the left leg came forward, leaving behind the other which started to bend down slightly.


    Putting his hands up with a slight guard, Lutiel stood there, waiting with closed eyes. Yet, they briskly opened as his right leg flinched, flying through the space with rabid vigour. Reappearing around the height of his head, he let it stay there for a while before retrieving it.


    Readjusting his position meticulously, as the glyph glowed for him and told the man, he closed his eyes once again, readying himself with calm breaths. Like the sword that leaned against his desk, Lutiel cut through the room¡¯s air with fiercer speeds than ever. Looking at the three glowing streaks on his right arm though, he shook his head before starting to back away into the initial position.


    The leg swiftly flowed back to the floor, standing practically on the toes. Awaiting with his left leg placed firmly against the wood, the man no longer closed his eyes as before. He stood there patiently, guiding his chest whilst keenly peering ahead of him, never losing focus of the point he had been hitting at since two kicks prior.


    Quickly, the nails brushed against the panels ever so slightly as he gathered up enough speed. Turning the body according to the leg¡¯s position, his hips and torso worked harshly to achieve the best result possible. Changing the tides of the room slightly as his foot hit and stopped against the hovering point, a faint waft moved around, settling just as quickly.


    Regardless, it all seemed like futile efforts underneath the three mellow lights he experienced.


    Still, the man¡¯s face didn¡¯t scream disheartenment. Yet again, the legs found themselves in their prospective positions, ready to be adjusted minutely by the glyph¡¯s guidance.


    The air whistled vaguely as he repeated the move, then, again it whistled. Almost resounding in his ears like the bells of a church once they gathered up over countless breaths, his chest started to falter visibly, trembling incessantly whilst sweat trickled down before being caught by his pants or the floor.


    However, the man never stopped, listening in on the whistles and hearing as they started to abate at every attempt. Tens of kicks played out and his right leg began to wobble, but he pushed nonetheless. Grazing through the floor with the very cusps of his toenails, he started to rotate the hips using his left leg, rapidly arriving at the point before stopping.


    ¡°Haa, haa,¡± he breathed harshly while remaining in the position, however, he quickly flinched at the darkness formed all around him. Already used to the faint light from before, the utter lack of illumination quickly moved his eyes towards the glyph. With somewhat widened eyes, Lutiel watched the fourth streak light up silently.


    ¡®Haa,¡¯ he staggered, this time internally. ¡®This,¡¯ Lutiel thought after watching the light increase momentarily, engulfing the whole space. Before he  even knew it, a new strength reinvigorated his legs, the rough breathing of his stopping immediately as he felt the forces. ¡®It¡¯s the power of the heroes,¡¯ he mused when the glyph staggered back into complete quietude, even the streaks going back into his skin.


    Reverting the leg back to the floor, Lutiel wondered for a while, only to fidget hesitantly as he felt the power slip away into nothingness. His right leg started to wobble anew while he sighed. ¡®I had no idea it had a time of use.¡¯


    Still, not mulling on the matter, he let his breath come down to a halt before changing sides. The right leg might have achieved the four streaks, however, the left was still lingering on three. Letting his body rest for a while, he continued soon after, unaware of the stars moving about beyond the window.

 67. Fleeting Night 2

    More focused on attaining the same result for his other leg, the whistles came about together with the wafts, steadily waning out before the man could finally fall in rest, letting the faintly wet floor brush through his back.


    Stretching out his open hands to the ceiling, he watched the four streak lighten up again, however, he stopped the glyph before the rejuvenating powers could go into him again.


    ¡®Haa, I need to wash up and drink something,¡¯ he thought as the fingers came to brush his throat. Feeling as though it could rip apart at any given moment, his palms promptly touched the floor behind him. A swift motion later, he jumped back to his feet, already turning towards the wardrobe and his bed.


    In one arm, his earlier clothes had been scooped up, while in the other he held a new set of nightwear and underwear, swiftly leaving his room.


    Walking through the corridors with only his pants on, two doors straight ahead of him lit up in his pupils briskly. Stashing the dirty clothes in the laundry on the left side, he promptly left for the bath, closing the doors before taking his time.


    Countless breaths had passed, however, the man came out both refreshed and rejuvenated, having first drunk some cold clear water from the bath sink only to settle in a warm bath to relax his flesh.


    At the same time, he had dressed back into his nightly clothes, heading to his room.


    Though, seeing his room¡¯s doorway, he halted himself right before grabbing onto the door¡¯s handle and steering towards the material with his ears. Briskly brushing the doors with the earlobes, his eyebrows wavered at the sounds of movement.


    Pushing them vehemently, his eyes quickly stumbled onto the eerie sight, somewhat taken aback as he stared at the lady sitting calmly on his bed. ¡°Zyponia? What are you doing here?¡± Lutiel asked promptly, watching her glance up at him, clearly not expecting the sudden intrusion.


    ¡°Hi?¡± She muttered before quickly clearing up with a cough. ¡°Eh-ehem. I just came to look at your room. I was a bit curious, but something else caught my interest. Are you training in here?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask, swiftly staring down at the floor.


    Following her curiosity, he also looked there, but the man didn¡¯t find anything other than the plain, wooden panels that already dried up. ¡®Does it smell of my sweat?¡¯ He asked himself before glancing at her, the girl doing the same to him.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he said with a somewhat staggered approach, only for his chest to ease up as she brushed over the matter.


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s good. No wonder you¡¯re so strong. Your habits must have been engraved into your head,¡± she said, and although her slave remained quiet, he didn¡¯t find her reasoning at fault.


    ¡°I did train quite a lot in the dreams. Actually, half of them were about swinging the spear away,¡± he added, watching as the girl dug deeper into his eyes, staring at them without breaking in the slightest.


    ¡°Are you certain about changing to a sword all of a sudden? I could get someone to teach you about it,¡± she said, however, the man simply shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I think the sword fits me better anyway-¡± the man said while crossing his arms slightly, but he stopped abruptly as she gave him an odd glance.


    ¡°Or is it because Folvana teaches you?¡± Somewhat impishly, she asked before meeting his silent stupor.


    ¡°Eh, yes, she¡¯s a great teacher,¡± with a delayed reply, his eyebrows stayed furrowed, making the girl smile even deeper.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. Though, I¡¯m sure she taught you great today,¡± her voice immediately tumbled inside his ears, freezing his figure in place. Unable to respond, he stayed there quietly while his heart began racing.


    Yet, his eyes only festered in shock as he heard her sprawling laughter bounce around the room.


    ¡°Hahaha, you should have seen your face,¡± she continued while the man still stood silently. ¡°I was just joking, don¡¯t be so scared about it,¡± said Zyponia, to which his face somewhat eased up.


    ¡°But you know about it, no? Did she tell you?¡± He asked with a straight face, making her finally stop the strong chuckle.


    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s in my mansion. It¡¯s only natural she would have informed me,¡± the girl spoke, making his eyebrows stutter once again, however, he quickly calmed down.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± The man uttered with a slight whisper, only to be once again met with surprise.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I did it with her, but I was meant to wait for you,¡± he said, but her new stream of laughter prompted him to quickly shut his lips.


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re so worried about?¡± Her smile asked, stopping the chuckle and calming slightly. ¡°If you think I¡¯m angry, not really. Well, maybe slightly. She¡¯s a great friend of mine so I don¡¯t mind you being friendly with each other. Besides, it¡¯s good she realized your ability so quickly. That was actually the reason I came to find you. I wanted you to exercise with the metal again.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Waiting in silence as the words reverberated within him, Lutiel didn¡¯t respond for a while. Sighing faintly, he watched her stare directly into his eyes, as though prying at his thoughts.


    ¡°You could have just called me,¡± finally, he said with a half-straight face, still left somewhat in the reverie.


    ¡°No,¡± she denied. ¡°I don¡¯t like using it when it¡¯s unnecessary. The brands are specifically designed to inflict pain on the wearer regardless of the master¡¯s need.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he uttered because of the words, lingering around her face before continuing. ¡°Shall we go now, then?¡±


    ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t you tired? We can postpone it for another day.¡± She asked, only to be met with a question of his own.


    ¡°Will it impede the results?¡± His tongue traced to the lady, replying with a meek shake of her head.


    ¡°No, it will be just fine.¡± With a swift reply, she stared up at his eyes again, adding on immediately after. ¡°Are you saying you can go right away?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lutiel said whilst nodding. Then, he watched her stand up briskly, dusting off the back of her dark blue gown and head towards him.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, then. Let¡¯s go,¡± she said almost discreetly before the man opened the doors for her, letting the lady go through.


    Following the leisurely pace of her figure, they still quickly reached the stairs leading to the top floor. Still, walking right behind her, the man stared carelessly at her back, unable to contain his sight from gradually reaching downwards.


    Watching her backside, fit gently against the flowing dress, his eyes flustered up quickly as he bumped into her from behind. Having stopped suddenly, his focused state didn¡¯t seem to register the deliberate action. Yet, as she turned around to him with a smirk, he could only shy away with the answers.


    ¡°Is something wrong? You seem distracted,¡± she said, the man looking at her face with a blank look.


    ¡°Sorry, I just thought of something,¡± he said after a while, but the girl¡¯s smile didn¡¯t recede even after she turned around.


    Continuing their walk however, Zyponia no longer stopped so suddenly, despite him still throwing in a couple of not so discreet looks.


    Regardless of their ways, the two eventually arrived at the destination. Opening the doors without the use of hands, Zyponia quickly invited him inside, closing them manually as he started walking through the carpet with his bare feet.


    Illuminated all around by the vim crystal attached to the ceiling, the same bedroom as ever glistened in his eyes. Turning back to the girl, Lutiel didn¡¯t need to wait for long before the silence cleared away.


    ¡°Just like after you woke up from the week-long coma, I want you to test your strength against the metal, alright?¡±


    Sparing an answer through a nod, she sent out a mellow one as well. ¡°Good, you know what to do, then,¡± her voice drifted along the space, and the man didn¡¯t hesitate to take off his shirt. Following with the pants, he tossed the attire off to the side, but the girl quickly caught and transferred it away.


    Losing sight of them immediately as he turned away, Lutiel prepared himself slightly after watching the box crawl through the air towards him. Stopping just a step from him on the carpet, the metal shined its way out of the wood briskly. Settling within his eyes, the man didn¡¯t ponder on the sphere for too long, already reaching out for it.


    Immediately, as the fingers of his right hand sprawled out along the metal and surrounded it wholly, the same reaction as before guested the duo. Bringing the ball to his right shoulder, the man swiftly moved the arm behind before swinging with all the force he could release towards the yellow wall ahead of him.


    However, making sure not to repeat her mistake, the girl was already on standby. Right before it could hit the room, the ball started to hover in the air, slowly making its way towards the lady. ¡°That was slightly faster than before,¡± she said with a disclosed tongue, but the man still turned his head towards her.


    ¡°Am I gaining strength because of the energy?¡± With a sudden question, his eyes befell Zyponia, quickly going away as he confirmed his thoughts.


    ¡°Yes, it does contribute to power, but don¡¯t focus on that since it¡¯s not that much,¡± she said, with distant eyes that focused around the metallic sphere. Though, tossing it up soon after, it sped up to him together with her pupils. ¡°Try now.¡±


    The ball went towards his chest, but he quickly caught it with his hands. Nestling it there, he looked at the girl before she promptly raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°It needs more adjusting,¡± he spoke back, tossing and catching the metal with just the right hand, as though it was a crumpled paper.


    Creasing her eyebrows slightly, she still moved the object back into her grasp. Through a quick correction, the air hissed anew, arriving at the man briskly.


    Finally, as the ball fell into his hands, he clenched his jaw whilst the veins around the forearms sparked up.


    Moving to just the right hand, he grasped it with all the power he could give out. With a slow and steady approach, he raised it towards the shoulder, however, his breathing started to falter already.


    A deep breath escaped his nostrils while the man trembled the muscles immediately, trying to throw the ball as far away as possible.


    Though, with a meager reaction, the sphere traveled just a finger¡¯s length away from his toes. Bouncing on the carpet a few times, any of the previous exhaustions dissipated when a nippy sensation washed over him.


    Immediately, he proceeded towards it with slight caution. Surrounding the sphere with his fingers and the palm, his grasp tensed before the upper body did the same. Clenching his muscles, Lutiel slowly raised himself up, breathing stagnantly while supporting the ball with his right shoulder.


    A swift motion illuminated the girl¡¯s vision and his hand became empty, throwing the object with any power left inside of him. However, it seemed as though the sphere had sucked out too much, bouncing a step away from the man before stopping in place with a vehement abruptness.


    Moving it towards him with her powers, Zyponia didn¡¯t need to prompt his actions. Lowering himself for yet another time, he stabilised his breathing while bringing it up near his face. His muscles convulsed all around from the severe lack of strength, however, as the ball rolled away, another breath of the revitalizing wind brushed his insides.

 68. Fleeting Night 3

    With another few repeats of similar nature, it was more of the same both with the bigger ball as well as the staff.


    Yet, his sight came up to the metal sword with more serenity than ever. Glancing down at the glint of the sleek blade, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but stand there for a moment. Watching the weapon for a few silent breaths whilst forgetting the sweat that trickled down his body, he finally broke apart from the short reverie.


    The hands swiftly caught the darkly leathered handle, however, he raised the sword as though it was made from ten copies and melted into a singular one.


    Although wobbling throughout, the sword still made its way similar to where he held the first ball, albeit he struggled a bit more with the weapon.


    Putting up the stance he had been training for two days by now, Lutiel stared directly ahead of him, slashing before all of the vigour could be drained from him. Creating a weak wind, the blade cut through the air while the man already tried to come back into an ideal position.


    Standing behind him, the girl¡¯s eyes glistened with his figure. WIthout a break elsewhere nor a blink, she coveted his motions, aiding his flesh intermittently. Regardless, Zyponia still let go of her state, finally hearing his harsh breath. Through a faint gait, she walked over to him unbeknownst.


    Standing at his side, a hand came around his left shoulder, the cool sensations quickly bringing his attention towards her.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough, you can stop,¡± she said, walking right in front of him before grabbing the sword by its pommel and placing it directly inside the box. Shutting itself immediately, it flew through the space right back to its brethren, only to rest there while Zyponia glared directly at his glistening chest. Heaving up and down from the stress he endured, she traced both of her hands against his hard pecs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sweaty,¡± he said calmly, his state receding back to its normal state while the girl continued to mess around with the bare flesh placed in front of her. Unruffled under his voice, she continued to sully her palms, finally guiding her eyes to meet with him.


    ¡°Will it impede the results?¡± She asked, a faint smile turning around her face. At the same time, the words made the man glance at the lady and her hands before coming back.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± he said, staring right ahead into her eyes while his hands started to curve around her figure, arriving towards her back briskly. Pulling her to him suddenly, her forearms squished against his body as they clung to each other, but neither released any noise of complaint.


    Both of their heads edged closer, however, Zyponia was first to beat him, veering off and arriving near his ears. ¡°There was another reason I wanted us to come here. I¡¯m ready for you, Lutiel,¡± she whispered with a somewhat staggered breath, immediately placing her hands on each side of his jaw before pulling him closer.


    Both closing eyes, they softly sunk their lips into each other and moved with a leisurely pace. Savoring the kiss for a while, the duo stood there still, frozen and solely attentive around the face before them. Breaking off for a quick breath, they quickly lurched back for more, meek sounds sprawling out through the lights that slowly dimmed out before stopping.


    However, as much as they could simply indulge into the other¡¯s lips, once Lutiel¡¯s underwear tightened against her stomach, Zyponia pulled out from the kisses.


    Stepping back slightly, her hands moved up to her fully covered shoulders with haste. A fleeting breath fell out, staring into his eyes before venturing down at the man¡¯s erect pride. A smile reverberated across her face with the gown starting to scatter down her body, revealing a lighter shade of blue through the dully-lit space.


    And, her face could only beam brighter as his underwear jumped in excitement, seeing the sheer fabric around her chest and crotch. Loosely covering her matching nipples, as well as the bottom area, Lutiel stared at the almost transparent underclothes with a burning glare.


    Without skipping a heartbeat, he was lured forward, closing in on her before heading down the neck. Lingering around her collarbones, the man¡¯s lips parted and took in her skin, smooching it to the point of leaving rosy tints dotted around.


    At the same time, the girl¡¯s face fidgeted to the side, her voice breaking out from the sudden assault on the neck¡¯s base, making no efforts in truly veiling herself.


    His left arm descended down to grab her rear, grasping the flesh tightly to heighten her tone. Meanwhile, his other arm quickly raised her left leg to wrap around his waist, her arms already closing in on his neck while the man slowly made his way up to her ears.


    Nibbling on the earlobe for a faint moment however, he quickly burrowed into her lips for the second time.


    Parting through as they tilted their head, the tongue quickly pervaded and met each other, touching and entwining softly. Mixing their saliva while breaking in between, Zyponia sucked on his bottom lip as he seemingly stopped, however, raising her other leg behind him, the man swiftly supported her bottom, carrying his lady while they kissed anew.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Slowly, yet with a steady step, he reached closer to the bed. Going through the curtains easily, the girl was still glued to his lips, even as her body was somewhat squished by his when he laid them both onto the bedding.


    They finally stopped, the man raising torso before losing himself while glancing down. The enthralling sensations covered her face, despite watching the man directly above her through somewhat abashed eyes.


    Slowly, her arms moved behind while the man reached for her butt. Grabbing her darkened at the bottom panties, drenched with fluids, he slowly raised her legs to uncover her whole. Tossing the underwear away nippily, the girl proceeded to follow his steps with the bra.


    Standing up from the bed¡¯s edge, Lutiel was just about to slip his thumbs against his pale underwear, however, the girl swiftly crawled on the bed, swaying her breasts with quick movements. ¡°Wait a second,¡± she said, making him freeze in place.


    Taking the hands off, he watched her immediately arrive with her face in front of his standing erection. With effortless moves, she already grasped his boxers before immediately pulling onto them towards herself. Flinching slightly as it sprung out, Zyponia plainly let the underwear fall down to the floor while taking in the pulsating member of his into her eyes.


    Standing up with a brimming force, the girl¡¯s hands moved towards it with keen glances. Grabbing near the already pulled down foreskin, she took the other hand and placed a finger around his tip. Smearing the glistening, viscous clear liquid at the top of the glans, she didn¡¯t hesitate to pull the shaft down and bring her mouth forward.


    Like before, she started to part her lips before a translucent fluid fell down onto the tip, swiftly covering the entirety of his glans while staring at his groaning face. Releasing a mellow smile, she didn¡¯t hesitate to start the deed, keeping her sights around the grimacing eyebrows.


    Of course, no pain escaped through his face or member, the girl feeling it throb in excitement. Spitting out some more saliva on her right hand, she began fully stroking his penis. Through quick motions, her hand moved from the top of the glans, right towards the base covered with white hairs. Meanwhile, the man started to look ahead of himself, groaning and moaning in pleasure.


    Zyponia continued to stare at his member, almost with a tantalizing gaze that couldn¡¯t leave it no matter what. Moistened up, the splashing sounds reverberated through the space along with the breaking moans, however, the man quickly looked down at the girl.


    Feeling and seeing her lips start to cover the bottom of his glans, he quickly voiced his worries. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The man asked, but the girl simply raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°Did you think I was disgusted by the thought of licking your penis?¡± She asked back, making him stagger with no response whilst continuing to stroke the hard erection.


    ¡°A bit,¡± he uttered regardless, making the girl smile before her tongue engulfed his frenulum, brushing to the sides with immediate reactions.


    Feeling the soft flesh graze his glans, Lutiel instantly tensed the muscles near his waist, flinching through the member. Alas, there was no remedy for the assault of pleasure around his tip, making his feet curl through the carpet while his thighs tensed further.


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± he prolonged his breath, unable to catch it properly.


    The girl closed her eyes, speeding up with her jerks. Making the best effort to please the man above her, she stimulated the glans thoroughly, finally stopping after a while to let him take a deeper, actual breath. But, she still covered her tongue around his shaft, licking the sides.


    As countless breaths passed with her keeping the speed up, the girl came back to the top of his head, covering her mouth along the tip. Speeding up the movement of her hand along the shaft, Zyponia started to kiss the glans, massaging it through her lips and tickling the urethra with the tongue.


    The man¡¯s reactions changed briskly, inhaling deeper while glancing up at the red curtains that were pulled away in the center. Tensing his legs, the girl still continued, despite his member twitching incessantly. Even as she felt him shoot it all out, her hand only slightly waned the speed, bringing out even more of the substance right inside her mouth.


    Opening his mouth, Lutiel struggled to catch a breath, but his shock prevailed nonetheless, watching as she garnered the sperm inside her mouth. Before he could say anything, she had already swallowed it all, licking the surface around her lips clean before glancing up at him.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She exclaimed as the man grabbed her abruptly, but the girl didn¡¯t restrain his moves in the slightest, falling to the bed with a silence.


    Watching her breasts bounce out before sprawling on the sides, he quickly grabbed both of them with his hands. His mouth similar, he covered the nipples, quickly sucking onto them while the girl lowered her arm towards her shaven area.


    With the other, however, she pushed him deeper into her breast, moaning as he flicked her nipples both with his tongue, as well as with the fingers.


    Swiftly losing interest tainting her areolas though, he started to move his head along the breast, releasing soft, yet reverberating kisses through the lady. Venturing to the smooth stomach, he gradually descended towards the belly button, leaving the marks of his lips throughout the travel.


    Not stopping in the slightest, his kisses descended down to her shaven lips, from which he took hold of her submerged fingers before keeping his attention around the glistening entrance. Pooling with liquid, it had already wetted the bedding slightly, so the man waited no longer, sinking his lips into the parted labia. Starting to arouse it with his tongue, the efforts played favors as the girl released an abrupt, short scream at his ploys.


    Moaning away, the man didn¡¯t hesitate to pin her thighs down, making the lady bare it all in front of him, but she didn¡¯t seem to acknowledge any shame.


    Glancing loosely at the ceiling while the splashing sounds tumbled within, the eyes filled themselves with tremors before she tightened her fingers around the bedding. ¡°Anghh, nghhh~,¡± she moaned out repeatedly while the man continued to spread his tongue along the top of her vagina, brushing the clit.


    However, the eyes that started to close suddenly sprung up, together with a fresh tide of sensations as her voice suddenly stopped. ¡°Ah, ah,¡± she gasped for air when the man suddenly pervaded his fingers through the entrance, continuing to lick her at the same time.


    ¡°Ah! Yes, yes! Please,¡± She started to scream right when a plea came out. ¡°Don''t stop,¡± she said, tensing the walls around his curious fingers.

 69. Fleeting Night 4

    Silent throughout, he listened dearly to the girl, focusing on his tongue whilst circling around her walls with the fingers.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Zyponia abruptly let out a high-pitched scream while the man tasted some of her juices, letting his bare body be splashed with the clear liquid before staring at the girl clutching the bed. The butt that raised itself as she orgasmed began to shiver down, along with the stream.


    A large, darkened stain gathered on the bedding, only to mellow out on its own.


    Moving back to the bed, the lady breathed discreetly. Heaving up and down, her chest didn¡¯t seem to abate no matter how many moments passed. However, the coquettish glances she gave him made Lutiel think she didn¡¯t want her heart to stop.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked after moving closer, practically sticking to her face. For a brisk while, he busied any of her answers, covering himself around the lips.


    ¡°Please, put it inside,¡± her voice dribbled out in between the short breaks for a second breath, locking gazes with him while starting to release meek whines. ¡°Ahh, ungh,¡± she muttered as he finally pulled away from her face, dragging the lady¡¯s thighs towards him.


    As the fully erect member suddenly lay across her belly, Zyponia¡¯s eyes staggered, three thirds of it reaching her navel.


    Bringing the lady even closer and letting their skin cling to each other, she swiftly whispered her moans of anticipation, constantly observing as he moved through the space. Positioning himself whilst backing away, his hand guided the glistened tip, gradually heading for her entrance.


    Yet, as the tip eventually smeared itself and splashed against the wet vulva, he hadn¡¯t pushed inwards underneath her mellow shrieks. Her eyes dilated with a heightened breath, watching and feeling as he brushed his glans against the folds for a moment.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t voice out anything, Lutiel already grasping onto her waist before pinning it down on both sides.


    ¡°Nghn~,¡±


    ¡°Aghh~¡±


    Both of their tongues made no efforts to hide themselves, releasing the gentle pants as he rummaged through the space. With a single push, the tip had already submerged itself, surrounded by her internal warmth all around. However, the faint arguing he experienced lasted only for a moment, thrusting deeper a breath later.


    Clinging to the stringy threads around parted pussy, his shaft crawled up, stopping right in the middle before a soft shield tucked itself around his tip.


    Feeling the cervix mingle itself with the glans, the man stopped for a bright moment, needing to catch a proper breath and look at the girl whose hands were already clutched onto the blanket yet again.


    ¡°Is it fully in?¡± She asked through the short gasps, only to widen her eyes down at him shaking his head. ¡°Wha?¡± The fuddled voice bled out under the moans, quickly glancing back at the man.


    ¡°Do you want me to push further?¡± He wondered weakly, creasing his eyebrows ever so slightly.


    ¡°N-no,¡± her lips stuttered. ¡°I haven¡¯t done it in a long time, so let me adjust myself,¡± as she opened her mouth anew, her head slowly turned away, trying to mask the rosy pink spreading out around her face.


    ¡°Okay,¡± the man muttered, somewhat tersely, but with no harshness around the words. His movement prompted anew, unhurriedly pulling away before once again pushing and hitting against the sheepish wall, a plethora of moans sprawling out around the girl instantly. ¡°Oohhh,¡± she sucked the air as he pulled back for the second time. However, although the thrusts were quite vigorous, he had done all of them in a faint, brushing motion, letting her douse in all the sensations.


    Rubbing his glans against the walls, her shrill shrieks distorted into light screams, filled fully with lustful pleasure. For a lengthy while, he continued to repeat the moves and watch as the girl looked away to the side.


    Glancing at the budding rosiness around her face, Lutiel quickly caught the sparring glances she threw at him. Without waiting any more for Zyponia¡¯s clues, he caught her jaw before turning her lips directly for himself. Not changing his approach and pace around her gushing entrance, the man brought his face down directly at the closed eyes of the demon lord.


    Quickly, their tongues touched yet again. Savoring the kisses, he also took hold of her swaying breasts, caressing their dark blue tips with his pale fingers relentlessly, at the same speeds he moved his hips against hers.


    Mingling their saliva while Zyponia fidgeted below the waves of pleasure, his tongue assaulted her without breaking a heartbeat.


    Breaking apart eventually, a faint string connected them before it disappeared back into her mouth, the girl moaning with a yearning gaze ahead of her.


    However, Lutiel didn¡¯t follow in her gestures, focusing around her waist instead. The same movements as before no longer handed him the soft expression around his tip, so the man swiftly pushed deeper, making the girl squeal immediately as he chased her insides. Just a finger away from fully meeting his pubes around her shaven skin, he stopped after sensing her womb one more time.


    No longer around the nipples, his fingers tickled her waist, guiding them lower and lower before pushing against the duvet and feeling her lower back. Adjusting his knees at the same time, he raised her waist before pushing inside, at the same time making the girl¡¯s eyes and mouth flinch open. Staggering with a gasp, sharp moans brushed past his chin, swiftly nesting inside the ears.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Brushing against the top of her vagina, his dick quickly made her stumble back into the bed, catching her pillows before veiling away the louds screams she was releasing. Yet, as quickly as she caught them, Lutiel stumbled forward and grasped onto the purple cushion.


    ¡°I want to keep hearing you,¡± he muttered whilst tossing the pillow away, no objection coming from the front. Instead, the girl simply sunk the back of her head into the depths of the duvet, clasping onto it with her sprawled out fingers.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel thrust even deeper into her raised entrance. Finally, damp noises crawled out from beneath their skin sticking together.


    ¡°Faster, do it faster,¡± she said suddenly, making the man comply instantly, as though breaking away from a faint film that restricted him. Increasing the tempo around his hips, so did the ruffled moans leaking out of her, as well as the plashing clashes of their bare flesh.


    Leaning forward, his lower back tightened, but he kept the butt raised. Instead, to ease his way, Zyponia spread her legs out further. Both of them released their own voices, gradually increasing with every move as something started to gather up deep within.


    Stretching out her hands, she sprawled her fingers around his face, touching it with closed eyes while not even trying to bring it down to her lips. The girl simply drowned in the pleasure, letting herself indulge in the movements of the man.


    Countless breaths passed their mouths, together with the faltering voices, gradually surmounting as she finally opened her mouth fully. ¡°Are you going to come?¡± She asked bluntly, but the man seemingly only kept on pounding her thighs even harder.


    Nodding away at her question, Zyponia swiftly locked her eyes upon him, freezing his sight around her as well. ¡°Me too,¡± she said quickly before adding on as his cock twitched incessantly. ¡°I want your sperm inside me.¡±


    Yet, her voice simply washed over him, the man having already desired to do so in the first place. Feeling as she tightened up the grasp of his penis, Lutiel groaned all of a sudden while she moaned directly into his ears.


    The din of their mingling flesh increased near the end, stopping with a single, strongest thrust yet. While his tip was briskly covered by the soft wall he had reached, she engulfed him with a strong burst around her pussy, throwing her head back whilst gasping for air.


    Watching the veins on her neck protrude, he couldn¡¯t truly focus on them however, groaning meekly while releasing his seed deep into his lady.


    As he finally stopped and the girl no longer uncontrollably peed at him, Lutiel slowly fell down onto her, their chests squishing against each other. Right ahead of him, he stared directly into her eyes, their noses grazing and sultry airs marrying. Already open, the duo swiftly connected their mouths despite the clear lack of breath around them.


    Parting and sucking on the lips, he closed his eyes at the same moment her eyelids fell down, immersing in the moments whilst clung to one another. However, finally breaking apart after tens of breaths had passed, Zyponia stared down between her breasts before turning at his raising figure.


    ¡°Wanna do it again?¡± The girl asked, still feeling his hard warmth tremoring faintly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he muttered out immediately, pulling his cock away only to witness the parted folds drizzle out his white substance. Similarly, it was still smeared around the erect shaft.


    At the same time, the girl started to stand up on her wobbly legs, almost falling down before the man grabbed and supported her butt with his hands.


    ¡°Thank you. Now, lie down on your back and enjoy yourself,¡± she said, keeping watch of his glistening silhouette from above.


    Just like her words suggested, he swiftly supported himself with a pillow around his nape, lying close to the frame before watching the stunning figure play out in front him. Although a bit murky, his eyes had already adjusted themselves. Her blue skin walked slowly through the duvet, sinking her feet into it before the shins dug inside.


    Although somewhat raising his eyes, they quickly settled, scouring around as the lady lowered her face towards his cock. Grabbing it by the base, her tongue nippily cooled the brimming surface, cleaning away the smeared cum without a second thought.


    And, having finished the messy job, she crawled up towards him before placing his member right against her belly. Before long, she put her hands around his abs, raising her lower lips and pushing up at them with his enthralled cock.


    With a steady, leisurely pace, she descended to meet his pubes, wriggling all of a sudden from the still lingering sensations. Quickly clearing them away however, she once again started moaning, bouncing up and down with her hips while hearing the groans he released as well.


    Tracing her hands around his tensed abs, her fingers swiftly met with his chest. A faint smirk appeared on her face as she watched his pale nipples. Without waiting, she quickly assaulted the taut skin, making his eyebrows furrow up.


    Yet, he could say nothing as she raised and slammed her butt against his waist again and again. Moving her feet forward to have an easier time, Zyponia lowered her torso, shivering slightly as she felt his cock bend slightly under her moves. Dragging along her walls as she moved up and down, her previous smirks dissipated after biting her bottom lip.


    Forgetting to massage his nipples at the same time, she shrieked at a sudden pressure around her breasts. Back to playing around with the mounds, Lutiel glanced into her eyes before she wriggled out to stare into the distance, somewhat embarrassed at the turn of events.


    Regardless, clinging onto him, she still raised her butt constantly, plopping down with swift and powerful motions. She had rendered him virtually incapable of moving from the pleasure, groaning away and only letting his fingers play with her nipples.


    However, all of a sudden, the man movedhis arms behind the girl, despite the staggering sensations. Briskly sinking his hands into her sides, almost grabbing onto her backside, the man¡¯s actions made her scream once again, while the splashing din reverberated even further from across their genitalia.


    Increasing her movements, he felt the veins around her skin pulse up in excitement, at the same time making the girl scream her heart out as he started to knock around her cervix, engaging his hips up.


    ¡°Ahh! AH!¡± She screamed through the sweet voice while he poured out more and more grunts, pushing her even deeper into him. ¡°Nghn,¡± whimpering, the girl muttered while leaving a trail of saliva around his chest, stuck against it with her mouth.


    ¡°Come with me, Zyponia,¡± he said, making her nod away meekly before increasing the pace even further.


    Crying out the pleasures, she swiftly grabbed around his neck, hugging onto the man desperately after feeling her vagina tense up. Almost immediately as she felt a warm gush spread out inside her, covering her trembling womb all around, she closed her eyes as the liquids came from her urethra, illuminating the man with a glistening coat.


    ¡°Haa, haa,¡± she breathed out heavily, similar to the man directly below her. Finally, feeling as his member started to meek out, the girl raised herself only to witness the thighs covered and dripping with his sperm. However, it disappeared instantly, moving away beyond the bed whilst the girl fell down beside him.


    Snuggling up into his left arm, she raised her eyes at him before seeing him already watch her attentively. ¡°Do you want to sleep here tonight?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said succinctly, promptly moving forward as she headed for his lips.

 70. Fleeting Night 5

    The light had long since dulled out as the night poured within the empty bedroom. Calm surfaced along the sprawling carpet, permeating inside every nook and cranny. Similarly, the ruby curtains illuminated tranquil shadows.


    Lying underneath the duvet that covered them partially, Zyponia rested on Lutiel¡¯s left armpit, making sure not to dig into his face with her dark horns.


    Purple strands of hers stuck both to her skin as well as the man¡¯s, but they made no effort to pull them away. Lying softly and relaxing inside the other¡¯s embrace, the girl traced her index finger along his pale chest, the man¡¯s arm wrapped around her figure with his hand lay on her stomach.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not angry?¡± Suddenly however, he broke the peaceful silence. Asking away on the matter, she promptly set her sights onto him. As her head slowly raised itself, it remained there for a brief period.


    Finally, she rended the wait. Glancing solemnly into his eyes. ¡°What? About you having sex with Folvana?¡± Her lips couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly as he gave a brisk nod. ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± He asked regardless, prying away at the already done question. At the same time, budding into a faint smile, Zyponia stared at him with a confused expression.


    ¡°Do you want me to kick you in the dick and throw you out or what?¡± The voice brushed his ears, guiding along the turning eyebrows. Staring into him for a while, especially inside his purple eyes, they both fell silent. A few breaths escaped before she finally turned back to her previous position, circling a finger around his chest.


    Lutiel swiftly witnessed her smile plummet, her eyes no longer gleaming as much whilst staring ahead of herself with a distant expression. ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed my father bed countless women I had no connections to, many of whom had mothered his children. My mother, on the other hand, led affairs with strangers because father did what he did.¡± Said Zyponia, a bit somber in the tongue, however, her voice quickly sparked back as she glanced back at the man.


    ¡°Although we¡¯re not married, nor are we even in a relationship, I¡¯m definitely more comfortable with you together with my good friend rather than some random woman you suddenly fancied,¡± the girl added, suddenly widening her eyes as she felt him tighten his grasp.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have reminded you of him,¡± He spoke softly after bringing her close to him.


    Stuck against his body as the hug brought them practically face to face, she quickly lost her vision, glancing sparingly into his eyes while a rosy tint garnered up along her cheeks. Swiftly however, the forearms stuck against his chest wriggled out, the man letting her loose at the sudden movements.


    ¡°Even though I told you all of that, it doesn¡¯t mean I was happy when I heard what you two did earlier,¡± she said, squinting her brows with a slight pout. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t learned about your ability, I would have made you wait for longer than just a day,¡± she said, making him blink at the reactions. However, seeing her face fidget back and forth with trouble, Lutiel quickly aided the lady.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about that,¡± he said, taking hold of her chin and bringing it right at him. ¡°Instead, can you explain to me what the deal with that ability is? All I know for certain is that I can receive more energy from sex.¡±


    Immediately, she lost herself within his eyes. Listening to the words intently, her face fell back with a blank silence, though it didn¡¯t take long before the lips parted again. ¡°It would take a while to explain it fully as you would need to understand magic from its basis, but-¡± she started speaking, however, he suddenly interrupted.


    ¡°Could you teach me? The magic and its aspects,¡± he said, lingering around her face with slight expectations, only to die down as her face soured vaguely.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not the best one suited for that. Although I teach Camilla, it¡¯s for a different area of studies. Could you ask Raeyine instead?¡± However, his eyes gleamed anew at the words, welcoming her with a nod.


    ¡°Okay, now, how should I explain it? Basically, during sexual intercourse, the three mainly active parts of the body are the genitalia, the brain, as well as the heart. At the same time, it just so happens that these parts naturally gather a greater reserve of magical energy compared to other organs,¡± she explained swiftly, the man looking sparsely at her face while engraving the information deep inside.


    ¡°When you accumulate pleasure together with your partner, so does the energy inside your corresponding organs. For you, it would be just inside the testicles while for women, it¡¯s mainly inside the womb, but the bladder also garners some. Each time I orgasm, you¡¯re basically splashed with the energy, but what¡¯s so special about you is that you shouldn¡¯t be able to receive in the slightest, nor should I gain the energy from your sperm.¡± She spoke further, making his eyebrows furrow at the end.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Your body is behaving in an eerily close way to that of a demon¡¯s. Once you empty yourself, the sudden lack of energy is substituted by my own and my lack is replenished by you, a process which has its unique benefits. However, that shouldn¡¯t be the case since humans aren¡¯t able to innately do so. Rather than gaining energy, you should be more and more drained every time you ejaculate, yet that isn¡¯t the case.¡± Her voice finally stopped, glancing deeply at the man¡¯s perplexed face.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying my body works like that of a demon? But, I¡¯m still a human, right?¡± He asked, and the girl smiled immediately.


    ¡°Exactly. You can see our confusion now, no?¡± She asked, showing him the pearly teeth while finding the confusion amusing.


    ¡°Yes, I guess,¡± he uttered, still looking around her face with a meek discord. However, suddenly returning to the space around them, Lutiel settled himself at the smiling Zyponia. ¡°But, what is the process you said? What sort of benefits does it have?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I won¡¯t go into much detail because I¡¯m not some sex maniac, but its main function is regulation of energy. It¡¯s not good if it sits in certain parts for too long, hence the need for stimulation and release. That¡¯s also partly why I decided to forget about your session with Folvana. She can¡¯t do it at her work and it¡¯s her break right now, so I¡¯m glad she has someone to rely on.¡±


    ¡°I see, so I¡¯m her toy more or less,¡± he said suddenly before the girl burst out of nowhere, cackling at the comment while trying to hold herself. Yet, as Zyponia glanced at his furrowed eyebrows, her chuckles intensified instead.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I guess you could say that,¡± finally soothing her voice, she glanced up at his face, fitting herself snugly against his embrace. ¡°Though, don¡¯t think I¡¯m the same.¡± With a smile creasing through her expression, the girl gained his whole focus. ¡°If I was, I wouldn¡¯t have waited all this time until now.¡±


    ¡°Are you finally admitting yourself? I thought you were more innocent,¡± he said, but the girl only rolled her eyes at the comment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent almost three decades on this continent. I was slowly dying out of boredom before you came into my eyes. Besides, you¡¯re not so innocent yourself, taking your sword instructor right after your first training, not to mention the stares you were giving me after coming here.¡± Her smirking voice rumbled within his ears, immuring the man¡¯s face.


    Still, looking back at the girl, he quickly parted his lips in retaliation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t help when my master wears dresses to specifically catch my eyes,¡± his straight face asked, to which her smile blossomed with a faint giggle. However, stopping eventually, she once again found herself lost in his eyes, the man doing the same.


    Meeting and blending in, their breaths passed the space while their faces lured inside. As their lips met again, Lutiel rolled underneath the bedding, grasping the lady¡¯s butt and taking her together with him. Lying on his back, she once again found herself on top of him, glued to his lips alongside the darkness of her sight.


    ¡°Ah, ah, angh~¡± before long, moans escaped through their kiss, Zyponia¡¯s voice raising itself as he found his way inside her. Forgetting themselves, their bodies ground through one another, pounding and groaning beneath the lustful desires.


    For yet another time, they fell to their ardour, engulfing the space with sultry breaths throughout. Unbeknownst to the passing skies beyond the curtains and windows, their freshly glistening flesh fell back to the bed, briskly covered with the blanket below their chests.


    They cuddled whilst remaining the heavy breaths, clinging deeply against each other. Both on their sides, Lutiel entwined his right arm around her stomach, hugging her tightly from the back while sticking his face within her purple hair, unable to restrain himself from sniffing the floral strands.


    Silently, their hearts eventually came back to normalcy, the duo simply enjoying each other¡¯s presence. However, as they stayed there, Lutiel finally broke the quietude. ¡°Zyponia.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°How is life back there?¡± He asked, making her silent for a moment. ¡°Is it better than over here?¡± Once again, she plummeted into silence, however, swiftly turning around in his grasp, her breast pressed against his skin. Yet, the man didn¡¯t get aroused, staring solemnly into her pink eyes.


    ¡°You know what¡¯s funny? I came here when I was only eighteen, just when I grew my second horn. I spent most of my life in Aseun at the request of the king, though it was my decision to search for the one Magon had killed in the end,¡± she said, abruptly making the man halt his moving eyes. Glancing even deeper into her eyes, he awaited the following words.


    ¡°But, even though I want to go back home after all this time, I think I enjoyed my stay here more than living in Cinseri, my home. Still, that¡¯s only from my point of view. Most of the demons despise having come here. Believe it or not, I¡¯m actually the princess of the demons,¡± she said abruptly, making the man¡¯s eyes widen as she smiled.


    ¡°Am I not committing some crime, then? What if your father finds out?¡± He pried instantly, but the girl continued to giggle before halting. Putting on a more serious expression entwined with a tinge of sorrow, she stared ahead of herself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s long since passed away. My sister took on the position, and she would be thrilled when she learns about you, especially about our relationship,¡± she said, turning meek near the end as her blue cheek turned closer to the tones of her eyes.


    The man widened his vision instead, staring at the girl silently before speaking back. ¡°Are we something? We did spend three nights together, after all.¡± He asked, only for the girl to spike up with a smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know~¡± she whispered after coming closer to him. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see. I don¡¯t know if I want a man that¡¯s able to have sex with a woman he had just met, even if it¡¯s my friend,¡± Zyponia uttered, the tongue rolling about in the smile on her face. Chuckling at the troubled man, she swiftly turned around, grasping his arms to coil tighter around her.


    ¡°And to answer your first question, you¡¯ll have to see on your own, but I believe you will enjoy your time over there,¡± she said whilst he fell into a shrouding silence, only muttering at the words after a while.


    ¡°Yeah, I will.¡±

 71. Stagger

    A thudding cadence sprawled out along the tiles, the hard soles down below clicking as the figure fidgeted. Moving the arms with brisk motions, she used a fork to toss the streaky piece of meat.


    Suddenly, the sizzle battle against the rhythmic steps, all while the blaze underneath faded its brilliance away as the window welcomed in lighter shades.


    Glancing suddenly to the side whilst humming, Raeyine stared at the peeking sun with a fleeting gaze, only to nimbly appear in front of the over doors. Handling them bare, she didn¡¯t abate in front of the hot airs, instead pushing her arms inside even deeper.


    Pulling towards her at once, she quickly put the freshly baked loaf near her face, smelling the bare, fainter compared to the crust score. Smiling from the scents, the girl moved towards the table behind her before letting it rest there for a while.


    At the same time, she still didn¡¯t come back to the sizzling meat, already starting to extinguish its shrieks. Three large eggs found themselves in her hands, just one enough to busy her hand. Right after when her legs led her over to the pan, the maid cracked them inside, beginning to stir thoroughly and mingling it together with the seared bacon.


    Immediately, even before her hands circled them around, they had already scrambled at the bottom. Mixing in to form a glistening yet vaguely crumbling, yellow texture, the girl sprinkled in a dash of salt before giving it a last, nippy stir and taking it over to the table. A clean plate already readied itself for her, to which the girl emptied the whole pan to.


    Putting the iron inside an empty sink, she simply left it there before taking a fork and a knife for herself, along with the butter ready to be smeared all over the bread.


    Once again, a smile beamed across the girl¡¯s face after tasting the eggs. Then, she hastily reached for the bread, cutting it into it before a puff of steam rose up through the dawned upon kitchen.


    While the fiery radiance calmed down beyond the windows, with the sun raising itself steadily, the girl took the last bits of her final slice, smearing the crumb all over the plate before eating it whole. Chewing through, she also finished the tea, only to release a faint breath as her figure stood up from the chair.


    Taking the items towards the sink, she turned the knobs immediately. Scrubbing through the plate and the pan with just some soap and bare hands, they were promptly left to dry on the side of the sink.


    Washing herself before using a cloth, Raeyine no longer paid any attention to the freezing landscape beyond, placing her back to the sun whilst opening the doors of the kitchen and quickly walking through the corridors, heading towards a certain part of the mansion.


    Within a few tens of breaths, she had overcome the stairs. The first floor illuminated itself, darkened by the lack of windows, yet lightened through the crystals along the walls.


    Walking through the middle, she steadily passed the lights, only for an oddity to occur. One by one, as she stepped along the space, the light to the left side of the corridor had all vanished by the time she reached the end.


    Turning around, she swiftly did the same on the other side. Raeyine switched off the lights in a brisk manner, yet she couldn¡¯t help but slow down slightly as her gaze welcomed in the doors to Zyponia¡¯s bedroom.


    Still, the amber eyes only lingered around them as she walked closer, eventually passing the doors before moving forward to finish her task. Though, just as the girl was about to take a new step, her figure froze over before instantly turning around.


    Glaring deeply into the wood of the doors, her eyebrows hesitated, but she still took a step further. Stretching out her left hand, she pressed the palm over the wood, only for her brows to crease inwardly further.


    Taking a step back, she glanced to her right sparingly before sprawling out her arm, dimming the lights ahead all in one go before once again coming closer to check her doubts. Still, it was more of the same, her dubious eyes finally giving in to the curiosity before silently opening the doors inside.


    With unhurried and silent steps, Raeyine walked through the carpet while constantly keeping watch along the red curtains, trying to peer at the shadows inside with little success. Her breath slightly raised, she slowly edged herself closer and closer to the curtains, only to finally grab onto them with her dainty fingers.


    A brisk motion left her arm, briskly for her figure to immure in place as she fully witnessed the duo. Staggering with her mouth open, Raeyine¡¯s sight froze as she simply stood there, unable to comprehend the images. The vision danced across her eyes vividly, constantly since the girl made no efforts in going back.


    Lying on their sides, tucked into each other snugly, Lutiel¡¯s left arm wrapped underneath the lady¡¯s bright hairs. Meanwhile, the other surrounded her chest, sinking his fingers into her left breast. Breathing calmly and paying no heed to the outside world, the two slept together calmly.


    The maid¡¯s eyes shook suddenly before she fumbled with a step back, closing the curtains and speedily moving back. Shutting the doors with gingerly manners, she was ready to start running when her figure once again froze in place, flinching at the girl leaning against the wall on her right.


    ¡°What do you think? Did you like the image?¡± Folvana asked briskly, a smirk broadening itself along the face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± the maid replied immediately, resuming her composure. ¡°I was only replenishing Zyponia¡¯s dresses, nothing else,¡± she quickly corrected her glasses, staring sternly at the girl.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°You¡¯re always so tense when you lie,¡± her golden eyes scoured through the uniform while her figure no longer draped over the wall. Before long, the hands around Raeyine¡¯s shoulders turned her towards the doors again. ¡°Weren¡¯t you constantly joking that she wants to sleep with him? Why are you acting like you¡¯re not curious? Actually, do you want me to tell you something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Raeyine asked eventually, sparing a look around Folvana. Instead, she kept staring at the floor while the other girl moved over to her ears.


    With her eyes widening more and more the longer she whispered to her ears, the maid¡¯s pale lips finally parted. ¡°W-what? Why?¡± The stuttered tongue finally looked back at the golden gleam, shaking comparably to when she witnessed Lutiel and Zyponia sleeping together.


    ¡°What do you mean why?¡± She asked whilst furrowing her eyebrows. ¡°If I¡¯m meant to give away my freedom, of course I will try the goods first. Aren¡¯t you doing the same?¡±


    ¡°H-huh?¡± Once again, she stuttered. ¡°No! He¡¯s with Zyponia now, besides, you can¡¯t be sure if it will work with him. You¡¯re just excusing yourself to have sex with~!¡± Her voice started to grow through the corridor, only for a finger to shut the lips together.


    ¡°Do you want our lovebirds to wake up or what?¡± Folvana¡¯s vague scowl asked, only to fade back to her impassiveness. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right about the last part, but it was my first time with him. Yet.¡±


    ¡°Haa, I don¡¯t know what to say anymore,¡± she uttered, only to turn to her side after feeling Folvana¡¯s face brush against her cheeks.


    ¡°Just do what you think is right. That thinking led me all the way to my position,¡± the red-haired girl sparked up, making Raeyine sigh anew.


    ¡°You¡¯re not making this any easier.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What if I told you he grows in energy every time he does it? Even after ejaculating by himself?¡± She asked, stepping back before glancing solemnly at the curiously furrowed brows of the maid.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡­


    Jolting suddenly across the man¡¯s eyelids, the throbs were followed by his ears twitching right after. ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned ever so slightly while the duvet around him rustled, trying to find himself in the ruby shades coming from beyond the curtains. Raising his body slightly, Lutiel¡¯s head suddenly stopped in place, recalling the reason he found himself here.


    ¡®What is this sound?¡¯ He thought to clear the head. Annoying his ears for a while now, the din had doused deep within him after bellowing intermittently. Scouring through the bed as he sat with the fabric covering him, the man peered through the faint gap along the curtains.


    Seemingly, he had found the source of the noise, yet he couldn¡¯t help but squint at the sight. Watching the already dressed up Zyponia sit on the carpeted floor, his eyes wouldn¡¯t blink as the pebble in front of her floated around.


    Nevertheless, he had witnessed her do the same a couple of times already. Instead, the man focused on the small sphere of what seemed like a glistening glass ball, yet flowed like a liquid whenever it moved.


    As soon as he stared at the sight, the man¡¯s jaw clenched itself while he clutched his head. But, he couldn¡¯t stop looking at her moving the water. Flying through the space, right at the calmly hovering rock, the sphere hit it before scattering around the surface, going back to its normal shape while the pebble crumbled ever so slightly.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that what she was doing the first time I got here? Then, is it water that she wields, not wind?¡± He wondered, however, the thoughts washed away as soon as his mouth opened. ¡°Argh,¡± he groaned after his eyes closed.


    The girl, sitting in her light blue dress, immediately glanced up at the commotion, forgetting the rock around her before it dropped down. ¡°Lutiel? Are you okay?¡± She asked while the man slowly peeled his hand back down.


    ¡°Ah, yes, I¡¯m okay. Good morning,¡± he uttered, but the girl¡¯s mien hadn¡¯t changed. Walking over to place her hand around his brand, her eyebrows almost met.


    ¡°Did you hit yourself or something?¡±


    ¡°What? No, I just woke up. Was I speaking through my sleep?¡± He asked with fuddle, only for the girl¡¯s face to sour in confusion further.


    ¡°You screamed painfully just now,¡± she said, finally making his eyebrows turn.


    ¡®I did? What is she talking about?¡¯ Lutiel thought before parting his lips again. ¡°I have no idea, maybe I had a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Must be,¡± she mumbled briskly. Taking the hand away, her glances traveled down for a moment. Yet, as she looked through the light and duvet trying to unveil his crotch, she swiftly glanced back. ¡°We may be slightly closer now, but you should still dress up. I need to focus for now,¡± talking with her back turned to the man, Zyponia started to move towards the pebble again, sitting down so she wouldn¡¯t witness his image.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered sparsely, looking to the side to see his last night¡¯s clothes folded and waiting for him. Standing up from the bed, his figure reached down, promptly sprawling out the attire along his body. Within a few breaths, he no longer flashed his bare looks out to the world.


    The girl focused solely on her exercises, at least at a first glance. ¡°I¡¯ll go now, see you later,¡± he said before beginning to turn for the doors, only for something to halt him abruptly. An invisible grasp restrained him from moving to the back, so he watched as the girl briskly stood up, almost running to his figure.


    Stopping as she clung her hands around his elbows, his face was swiftly taken over. Sealing the kiss, Zyponia moved away just as quickly, smiling lightly towards him. ¡°You can go now, and don¡¯t act too quickly, okay?¡± she said with a giggle, spinning the puzzled man forcefully before pushing him towards the already opened doors.


    WIthout any further words, Lutiel glanced around the dull corridor before sparing the sigh crawling within him. Walking to the stairway, his eyebrows fell back while he shook his head instead. Though, just as he grabbed the marble railing, his legs froze when a new gaze fell upon him.


    Stopping in her tracks as well, the red-skinned demon quickly parted her lips after witnessing his image. ¡°Just how long did you two fuck for? It¡¯s already past ten,¡± she said, her tongue a bit irked.


    ¡°What?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but stutter out of nowhere. His head churned at her words, yet the girl rinsed his reactions out.


    ¡°Have you forgotten about our lessons?¡± Folvana asked all of a sudden, to which the man kept silent. However, that only influenced the faint ire. Glancing up with solemn eyes, her stern voice scattered through the steps. ¡°Okay, I will be waiting outside. Get ready and move down.¡±


    ¡°Yes, teacher,¡± he said sparingly, watching as she already turned back and moved through with strident steps. ¡®I should have told Zyponia, haa,¡¯ sighing internally, he quickly followed his instructor.

 72. Internal Block

    ¡®Huu, dammit,¡¯ the man thought to himself, staring ahead at the stretch of dull skies scattered all around. With the grass blades tickling him from beneath, his limbs were sprawled out while his chest heaved uncontrollably, still grasping his weapon in the right hand.


    ¡°Stop lying down and stand up. We just started the lesson,¡± with the dummy sword resting along her shoulders, the teacher¡¯s relaxed expression poured over through the tongue. However, the student didn¡¯t listen immediately, simply drenching his shining blade with dew from below.


    Despite witnessing the disregard, Folvana¡¯s mien turned little, simply gesturing with her left hand. Right at her motions, the man¡¯s body twitched slowly.


    His jaw clenched up immediately as he felt inert all around, especially in the legs.Watching himself as the body moved on its own to rise up from the ground and fix him on his feet, Lutiel grimaced lightly before once again gripping his sword.


    Walking through the grass whilst eyeing Folvana¡¯s empty stance, he quickly showed his back to the tree with a hollowed out center. Despite closing the girl after stepping moving with his stance put on display, she copied his position after just a while of watching him.


    He could no longer encircle the demon. Cutting him off deliberately, she closed the distances with the wooden sword pointed ready at the murky clouds. The student¡¯s eyebrows swiftly furrowed as his eyes reverberated her calm, watching steadily the girl¡¯s approach.


    Regardless of the man¡¯s action, his figure was nippily engulfed by her presence, the fluttering shirt clinging to her body underneath gales they stood within. His eyes quickly followed for the arms, but just as he was doing so, her sword descended right at him.


    With a quick motion, she performed the simplest of actions, yet Lutiel staggered about before swiftly cutting down as well. The sharp verge of the blade easily met with the wood, however, it behaved unnaturally.


    Unable to hack into the material, his eyes widened slightly when the arms let loose, dropping the sharp sword down to the grass once again. Breathing heavily at the girl¡¯s maneuvers, he gazed down to witness the curved, blunt end of the wood pressing against his neck.


    Meanwhile, the girl¡¯s reserved face danced within his mind. Folvana quickly went back to her resting position, only to finally break apart. ¡°What is it with you?¡± She asked suddenly, creasing her eyebrows ever so slightly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The question lingered around her silent face for a few breaths. However, as he began reaching down for his sword, Lutiel suddenly froze in place.


    ¡°Even though you¡¯re learning so quickly, you would lack an important factor in an actual battle. You¡¯re too indecisive for your own good. The way you¡¯re attacking too. It¡¯s almost as though you don¡¯t want to hurt your enemy.¡±


    Opening his eyes wide for a brief moment, the staggered figure still rose from the ground, only to stare at the girl with serene breaths. Albeit remaining there for a while as no answer could boil out inside, Lutiel eventually parted his lips.


    ¡°... I don¡¯t know. All I remember from my past are a few cloudy dreams. But, do you think there is a chance I didn¡¯t like killing?¡± He asked whilst moving his eyes at the lady, seeing quickly as fuddle settled within her face.


    ¡°Of course there is. Most people don¡¯t like killing. It¡¯s just that they have to sometimes. With you however, it¡¯s as if you¡¯re scared,¡± she spoke, pointing a finger directly at his chest. ¡°We¡¯re in a meager spar, but you take no initiative even as I come closer to you. Before you know it, you will drop dead in a real battle, even against just humans.¡±


    ¡°Is it that bad?¡± The man pried anew, raising his head back at the girl.


    ¡°Bad? No, it¡¯s atrocious,¡± she ridiculed with a straight face. ¡°You will get nowhere without an urge for blood in your blade.¡± Saying so, Folvana finally looked at the man. Seeing as his lowered glance wouldn¡¯t hover back up, she sighed slightly.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t fix that, even if it will take a while. Alright, bring your stance up again. And start attacking with a decision, not out of a necessity.¡± Her voice quickly brushed past his shoulders, breaking the man from his vague dejection.


    However, as he finally raised himself, his face seemed even blander than usual. Without any more corrections, he simply brought his stance out, the same one they had kept training.


    At the same time, the girl stepped back to form a firm distance around them. Despite that, as she herself gained a stance, he wouldn¡¯t move for a few breaths.


    ¡®You¡¯re telling me I have to kill to progress, huh? I don¡¯t know if I can do that,¡¯ he mused, quickly looking back ahead of him. The moment his focus intensified around the demon, the vision around him trembled. Shivering in the eyes, Lutiel¡¯s feet weren¡¯t better, immured in place before quivering as he witnessed the incoming figure.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Keeping her stance identical to before, Folvana increased the speed, glancing deep within the man simultaneously. Grasping him with her golden sight, the man couldn¡¯t move a single muscle after seeing the red hair raise by themselves.


    She had already reached him, to which he flinched and began to put up his sword to defend the incoming strike. Yet, phasing through the cold metal as though it wasn¡¯t there, Lutiel¡¯s eyes widened anew, staring blankly ahead while feeling his left cheek with his fingers.


    A stream of warmth trickled down. Peering at the fingertips painted ruby, the lady¡¯s figure traced back to normal, along with a command of hers. ¡°It will hurt a lot more if you just stand still.¡±


    Instead of letting the man cool off like before, her feet daintily rushed through the grass again, leaving faint marks around the blades. Quickly ducking as the sword headed for his head, Lutiel ran through the space, breaking his stance completely in the name of survival.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing more than prey right now. All you do is run away from the actual battle. How the hell have you managed to win against the leader of the revolutionaries?¡± She asked, keeping up with the man effortlessly. Practically flowing through the hill, Folvana abruptly raised her eyebrow. However, even if he actually slashed down with his sword, she went at it with her own.


    Bending his arms to her will, the blade was pried away, right before she cut through the sides. Rending the pants he wore as though it was the thinnest of fabrics, blood smeared out again, tainting the attire around it.


    However, she wasn¡¯t done. With quick actions, her sword continued to move. Reverberating across the right side of his ribs, the blunt strike festered his face into a grimace. The girl still didn¡¯t stop. As he headed to grab the side of his torso, the sword struck down at the left shoulder.


    ¡°Gharrr!¡± He groaned abruptly, air escaping his mouth at the brisk senses before stumbling backwards. Digging through the dirt with his feet whilst plummeting to the butt, he panted painfully, grabbing hold of his shoulder whilst looking up at the cold eyes staring him down.


    ¡°Get up. We aren¡¯t finished yet,¡± she ordered, swiftly for him to follow. At least on the surface. Fighting through the invisible forces around him, Lutiel could only move once the girl raised him back to his legs.


    Breaths mingled with grunts as he stared at the instructor, however, just like she said, he raised the sword back to his position. Immediately to be assaulted anew.


    As soon as his thighs lowered themselves, the girl moved, omitting his incoming slash with the faintest ease. The shoulder that held the sword quickly spilled blood as a thrust cut through its flesh.


    ¡°This could have been your brains,¡± she said while her student lost focus of her figure. Quickly looking to the side though whilst searching for the disappearing enemy, his head suddenly glanced up towards the sky, his chin brimming with pain and blood as she cut it clean. ¡°This could have been your face, split in two.¡±


    Continuing to slash against the man, Folvana made no efforts to stop. Bruising and nicking him tens of times, his face eventually drowned in red.


    Heaving as he sat against the harsh winds, although already dried, his face still released a few streaks of new blood. Meanwhile, the lady kept watching him, finally resting her sword on top of her arms. ¡°Lutiel.¡± She parted her lips suddenly, making him glance up.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for the spar. We will be training the stances and footwork now, so stand up,¡± her voice trailed past his bloodied ears, one of them cut in two. ¡°Prepare yourself for this every day from now on and make sure to apologize to Raeyine.¡±


    Through the harsh breaths, he slowly raised himself from the ground, to which the girl acted out. Stretching out her hand, she moved her fingers slightly, surprising Lutiel at the sudden waft around his face.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± He asked out of nowhere, feeling for his smooth face. Of course, the wounds were still there, however, almost no blood remained.


    ¡°Cleaned you up a bit. It¡¯s definitely nicer to watch your handsome face without all the blood around it,¡± she said whilst coming closer to the man, breaking apart her stern look to a blank one.


    ¡°I see, thank you,¡± he muttered, grazing the finger back to his hips before glancing at the teacher again.


    ¡°Leave it. I wounded you purposely, so it¡¯s natural I take care of it,¡± she said, only to drown the topic. ¡°We will be changing the moves today. You already replicate the stance pretty cleanly, so it''s time you learn a new one.¡±


    Before shutting her lips however, she followed on. ¡°Follow my movements.¡± Just like any time they had their session, Folvana moved first. Before engaging the wooden sword, she first moved her left leg forward, leaving the other behind. Placing her weight on the first one, the girl lowered herself on it and finally moved the sword.


    Rotating it slightly, she moved it behind her whilst pointing down at the hill. Exactly as she stopped, the man followed her actions. Putting up the legs in similar positions as the first stance he had learnt, the sword fell down to his right, quickly to be corrected by the girl.


    ¡°You want to cut through the air. The way you¡¯re holding it will only drag you back,¡± she said, and the man swiftly rotated the blade and she nodded her head, finding it accurate. Though, after staring for a while at him, her lips parted again. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in the center. Scatter your hands on each end of the handle.¡±


    Immediately, he had fully replicated her moves, within just two corrections. Nodding again, she calmed herself down, breathing silently before the winds were cut coming from below. Stopping for a brief moment before descending down yet again, Folvana stared back at the man, who didn¡¯t need long to understand.


    Slashing in a similar way, he swiftly went back to the stance, awaiting her approval before starting back at the ground.


    ¡°A bit lacking. Tense your stomach more,¡± she said, swiftly slashing up again. The man followed right after her, letting her guide him while the skies turned duller with every tens of swings they performed.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today,¡± Folvana eventually spoke up, once more letting the sword rest along her nape whilst staring at the man gasping for breaths, supporting his arms atop the knees. ¡°Get some treatment from Raeyine and rest for the night. Well, unless your lady calls for you,¡± adding at the end, Lutiel could only raise his furrowed eyebrows at her before sustaining the harsh breaths.

 73. First of Many

    ¡°Huu,¡± sucking a sharp breath before exhaling, Lutiel repeated himself every single step through the corridors. ¡®It¡¯s good my muscles are still working properly, but I won¡¯t be able to train tonight,¡¯ he thought, clenching his jaw whilst looking ahead through the hallway.


    Walking gingerly through the ground floor, he was on the complete opposite end compared to his room, reaching with the eyes for the doors scattered throughout the shadowy expanse.


    He looked at the farthest right door especially, the one almost meeting the wall. Albeit slowly, his figure eventually staggered towards the space, his darkly image contained by the murky embrace along the lampless floor.


    Regardless, sticking closer to the wall, he swiftly turned to face the doors before taking his bruised fingers and knuckles towards the wood.


    Three succinct knocks rang underneath his right hand, followed by the man waiting with his forehead resting against the wood. Still, finally getting a response, he moved back at the startled voice.


    ¡°Lutiel? What happened to you?¡± Raeyine inquired quickly, despite the doors still blocking her vision. Swiftly opening her room, the maid came out to welcome his eyes. She stood inside her uniform as usual, glancing at him meticulously before her glasses slid slightly along her nose bridge.


    Despite the nightly abode, he could still hear a faint gasp after finally gazing into the wounded face. Folvana may have cleaned him up earlier, however, the blood still flowed out during their further training, even if not as significantly.


    ¡°Could you please give me something to treat them?¡± He asked abruptly, quickly creasing the eyebrows as she forcefully pulled him inside, grabbing by the untainted parts of the right forearm. Yet, that still couldn¡¯t prevent him from groaning at the sudden moves.


    Closing the doors right after he stepped inside, Lutiel squinted his eyes as the crystal above lit up without any notice from the lady. Looking at the man silently for a while, he could only share her approach, though staggering somewhat through the space.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± She asked with furrowed eyebrows while the man eased himself by plopping down on the made bed.


    ¡°I was just sparring with Folvana,¡± he said faintly, though the eyebrows of the lady only soured further. The skin around her nose scrunched up as she immediately parted her lips.


    ¡°Sparring? What does this have anything to do with sparring? You have twelve deep cuts across your face. I will have to tell this to Zyponia,¡± she muttered near the end, flinching as Lutiel grabbed her suddenly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, please. Although she¡¯s a bit harsh, she¡¯s a great tutor,¡± he said, but the eyes of Raeyine lingered nonetheless, colored with astonishment.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak from the amount of blood you lost, yet you insist this is good?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied swiftly before growing silent and staring deep into the girl. Staying in the middle of the quiet space, they exchanged their glances for a while.


    Under his adamant face, the girl could only massage her forehead before sighing.


    ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s what you want. Get up and strip down to your underwear. We need to get those injuries healed quickly,¡± gesturing with the voice, Lutiel speedily grabbed himself on the bed¡¯s rail before groaning meekly as he moved up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he uttered after finally standing up, promptly grasped by the girl and unbuttoned.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For these and the next injuries. She said we will be training like this each day,¡± the man said, making the girl halt her fingers. Glancing down slightly, Raeyine locked her eyes with him.


    ¡°Every day? And who¡¯s going to pay for all of this? You still have earlier wounds I healed to pay for,¡± she said all of sudden, freezing him up around the face. ¡°What, did you think all of this was for free?¡±


    ¡°Ehh-¡± He muttered out his breath, only to be drowned out by a quick chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking, don¡¯t think that. I¡¯m more worried whether you will be able to function properly if you keep losing so much blood every day.¡± Her voice swiftly trickled his ears, followed by the rustle of attire as she started unbuttoning his jacket once again.


    ¡°I see,¡± he muttered, keeping a look around her busy face. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to call for me if you need any help with the house chores.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Turning to him, a meek smile blossomed out around her face. ¡°I will keep that in mind, thank you,¡± she said before briskly moving behind him, pulling onto the jacket before dropping it to the floor after it came loose. ¡°I guess we will need to send them back to Luviene,¡± the girl uttered as she kept her sight on the torn fabrics.


    ¡°I will try to not get hit around the clothes,¡± he added silently, but the girl only smiled at him after moving back and caressing his vest. Unbuttoning it as well, the piece shared the jacket¡¯s fate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rude, but it may take a while before you get on Folvana¡¯s level.¡± Still smiling, her voice easily reached his ears. However, the man didn¡¯t fester any indignation. Instead, he nodded his head in confirmation.


    ¡°I know,¡± with a terse reply, he kept himself shut. ¡®She might be even stronger than Raphael, after all,¡¯ he thought discreetly, restraining it all to himself.


    Meanwhile, the girl already got to his reddened shirt. Wherever she threw a glance, there seemed to be a crimson stain in the vicinity. So, she quickly took it off, only to take in a deep breath as his bare torso finally came to view.


    Blending with his eyes, tens of deep bruises scoured across his flesh. One on each shoulder, a few along the arms. Though, the majority dwelled within his stomach and the chest.


    At the same time, she traced along an almost blackened one around the right side of the ribs, easily making him squirm at the vaguest touch. ¡°She shattered your lower ribs,¡± the girl said, keeping intensive attention on the flesh. Despite his groans however, her fingers pushed through the dark purple skin.


    ¡°ARGH!¡± A scream followed immediately as Lutiel felt her dig through his side, immediately glaring down. Yet, seeing as her fingers gathered around a seemingly normal area, despite being kept in the same place, his eyebrows furrowed deeply. ¡°What did you do?¡± He asked all of a sudden, feeling the lack of pain around the area.


    ¡°Healed it, of course. What else?¡± She said, smirking together with the confusion she was displaying.


    ¡°Ah, no, I just felt a prickling pain,¡± he uttered, only to stumble through the space as Raeyine¡¯s hand once again touched a new bruise.


    ¡°How about now? Did you feel something?¡± She asked with a questioning gaze, but the man only leaned down to see below his navel.


    ¡°No, not really,¡± he said, making her stagger for a while.


    ¡°I see. The earlier one must have hurt especially,¡± she said, right before moving her fingers towards the belt. Making his pants fall down, she swiftly gestured to the bed. ¡°Lie down. It will be easier for me.¡±


    Nodding at the words, Lutiel slowly sat down before falling to his back. Sinking in the bedding a bit, he looked to the side before seeing her bring the chair from the desk over to him. Sitting down briskly, Raeyine smoothed out her uniform before leaning closer to his body.


    First of all, she garnered her attention around his legs. Bringing her hand over to the calves, she put a palm over one of the cuts before remaining there for a few breaths. Done, she immediately left for another one below the knee.


    Doing similarly for the other calf with her second hand, she continued healing the groaning man. Targeting the thighs in no time, she only moved her hands over there. Regaining her breathing for a second, the girl dried her glistening face with the uniform.


    Resuming swiftly, she healed the wounds away while leaving the traces of blood for himself to rub off.


    Steadily and despite the few breaks she took in the meantime, the palm that lingered around his forehead finally broke loose. Her hands immediately flowed back to herself, all while the girl¡¯s breath faltered about.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re done,¡± she said, omitting her hastened breathing. At the same time, Lutiel slowly made his way to sit on the bed, no longer as pained as before. Barely not touching their knees, he looked up at the girl for a while.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Asking while staring at her unfocused eyes, they immediately twitched back at him, making the girl shake her head lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, glancing into his dubious sight.


    Nonetheless, no matter how long he stared, Lutiel wouldn¡¯t gain anything, so he began to stand up. The girl following him, she grabbed herself by the chair¡¯s top rail, swiftly standing against the wooden panels.


    Yet, just as her feet landed and her hand left the chair, her figure swayed. Starting to fall, she headed for the man however, easily catching the maid.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be fine,¡± he said, but the girl didn¡¯t reply back, simply hesitating through her breaths.


    ¡°Can you put me on my bed for now?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said, only to scoop her up in his arms before easily placing her on top of the bed. Glancing at the man with a raised eyebrow, she let go of the matter.


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m fine. The healing just takes away some of my energy. And when there is too much to heal, I end up somewhat lethargic. But don¡¯t mind me, I will be back to my prime after a quick rest,¡± she said, making the man listen intently.


    ¡°Are you saying you will be like this daily if I keep getting healed by you?¡± He asked, making her turn to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Just think of it as one of my tasks. I will be happy if Zyponia is happy, which  means you getting stronger quickly,¡± she said with a slight smile on her face, but Lutiel could only crease his eyebrows at the words.


    Still, he didn¡¯t ponder much about it. ¡°Alright. I will try my best, then,¡± he said, briskly turning around to head for the door. ¡°Goodnight,¡± adding right before closing the doors, Lutiel left the room.


    Right after he closed them, the doors clicked shut while night poured within, the girl closing her eyes before her knees raised themselves and spread out slightly. The uniform falling loose down to her waist, her hands moved swiftly, briskly followed by faint noises coming from below.


    ¡°Haa,¡± she whispered silently, grabbing her chest with the free arm whilst the plashing sounds intensified brightly.


    ¡­

 74. Repeat 1

    The sword slashed through the wind, swung from below. Arriving at the dummy weapon however, all of its momentum vanished away. Standing there with his muscles screaming from the tensity, Lutiel gnashed his teeth whilst trying to pry at Folvana¡¯s sword.


    Regardless, she effortlessly pinned his blade, eyeing his somewhat bloodied face through a straight mien. Moving instantly, a simple motion allowed her to evaporate his stance. His weapon flying back down to the grass, Lutiel¡¯s unguarded body invited itself to the lady.


    Another gash appeared whilst his clothes tore apart around the arm before blood swiftly poured out. Clenching his jaw at the pain, the man didn¡¯t lose focus in the slightest. His feet moved away in a succinct flow, briskly avoiding another attack.


    The weapon¡¯s tip descended perilously close to his neck, barely missing before the man veered forwardly. Putting himself in the first stance Folvana had taught him, Lutiel swung the metal, only to feel his arms tremor incessantly.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± the man mumbled through his teeth, witnessing the girl put her sword against his adroitly. Lutiel could do nothing against the lady in front of him. Even if his sword was deemed to hit her, it still wouldn¡¯t. ¡®Haa,¡¯ still, through an internal sigh, Lutiel continued to feel the battle¡¯s rush.


    She had once again made his stance stagger, his blade accelerating to the side whilst she cut through his flesh, but he  didn¡¯t dare stop for a second. With a wheeze, he briskly omitted the thrust at his chin before clenching the jaws, his instructor suddenly changing directions to beat his skin black and blue.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to spar with just the two stances I learned?¡± He was quick to complain, but the girl in front of him didn¡¯t reply. Continuing to go forward, she swung the sword at his defenses. Pried away once again, a nick appeared around his left cheek in the time he tried to dodge.


    ¡°Will you believe your enemy in a real battle? Any moves are allowed before an opponent,¡± she said with a cheeky tongue, despite the calm demeanor. And, as if to show the truth of her words, Folvana lurched forward, making him flinch.


    Looking at his reactions however, she leaned back and kicked his torso thunderously, the man swiftly falling to his knees. ¡°See?¡± The lips asked, watching him gasp for air. ¡°Stand up and continue.¡±


    ¡®I wish I could,¡¯ he muttered internally, promptly looking up at the cold stares coming from her eyes. Biting his lips, Lutiel raised his right knee and supported himself up through it, swiftly standing along the grass again.


    Although a few harsh breaths escaped his mouth, the lips glued themselves together, resting calmly as he raised his sword above the right shoulder.


    At the same time as he finished putting on the stance, Folvana acted. Walking forward with a stance of her own, she yet again sparked at him like lightning. The man acted quickly and replied back with his blade, however, the result was very much identical to prior.


    Right as the swords met, they hesitated for a fleeting breath before Folvana¡¯s might overpowered the man, slipping him from the path and resulting in another injury. ¡®Fuck,¡¯ cursing inside whilst clenching his jaw, Lutiel nippily gathered himself, seeing as she made no attempts in stopping her approach.


    The sword had already arrived near the man¡¯s chest, for which he brought his blade¡¯s base up, stopping the sudden thrust. Even though he staggered against the ground faintly, the veiled soil was swiftly uncovered by his footwork, creating more and more pits inside the grass after trying to evade her assaults.


    Most of the attempts were still rendered unsuccessful, but the man was at least able to get in a few attacks of his own. Though, each of them ended up similarly.


    Flying through the space while cutting the wind apart, his weapon swiftly plummeted at the wood, his arms trembling as he couldn¡¯t splinter her sword. Like usual, her figure moved despite him trying to hinder her mobility, however, making her eyes open wider momentarily, he went with her. Clasping their weapons with the brinks, he stopped his tutor from reaching the already tattered skin.


    Even though she cut through at the third try and started to attack once again, Lutiel¡¯s composed gaze scoured through her, unswerving. Following the lowered stance along a sword slashing upwards, he swiftly replied with a strike down from above his shoulder.


    A harsh thud sprung out as their forces met, followed by a grating brush along the metal¡¯s edge. She swiftly eased her way outside of his clinch, grazing the sword away before slashing down diagonally.


    She lingered at the left breast of the man, however, the slash from the side he performed stopped her approach, only for a while. Once again getting his sword stuck in the dirt, she dug through his abdomen with the blunt, wooden tip.


    His jaw clenched up immediately, but he couldn¡¯t stay in the position after seeing the girl readying to head for the unshielded shoulder of his. Quickly making up a stance from the current position, he guided the sword along his left leg before arriving underneath the wood.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Halting her movements, the girl stared at him with dubious eyes, effortlessly getting away. Still, despite his harsh breathing and sluggish movements, Lutiel made sure to stop the incoming attack.


    On the other hand, Folvana lightly pushed at the swinging sword, throwing his arms off the pace. Standing before the unshielded man, a faint waft ignited her image, flowing together towards his face.


    Staring unhesitantly at the sword heading right for his face, a droplet of sweat trickled down his bridge. Looking at the wooden tip pinching against the cusp of his nose, Lutiel saw as the sweat bead swiftly gained a crimson vibrance, mingling with the blood before dripping on the ground.


    Taking the sword away before glancing at his heaving chest, Folvana stood in serene silence. Staring at his face that dripped blood for a while, Lutiel witnessed as she promptly raised an empty arm, his eyes flinching suddenly at the fleeting brightness coming outside of her palm.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯ He asked inwardly while the girl led her eyes aside. Quickly tracing his fingers along the face, he took the hand down before looking down at the clean tips. No blood was on his face anymore.


    ¡°You¡¯re growing more than I expected. Even though we started sparring only two days ago, you¡¯re already able to respond to two successive attacks,¡± she praised the man while turning her head. Nodding faintly at her words, Lutiel''s breath steadily receded back to normalcy.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said tersely, however, staring into her eyes for a bit longer, his lips parted again. ¡°Do you think I would be able to defeat human knights now?¡±


    The girl raised an eyebrow at the question, only for it to fall back a second later. ¡°Not a chance. Even though you¡¯re getting better at attacking, you still can¡¯t do it confidently. Well, you¡¯re not going to change that for a while, that¡¯s why we¡¯re doing this exercise. Which seems to work,¡± she said softly, staring deeply into his eyes. ¡°I can see hatred starting to grow inside you. You don¡¯t like getting hit, do you?¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡± The man asked, looking down at the arms of his jacket, torn apart and crimson in a few places. ¡°I practically couldn¡¯t move for the past two days,¡± he said with a slightly annoyed tone, making the girl toss a small smirk at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s the point,¡± she said, following up before his contorted eyebrows could furrow further. ¡°Besides, from the way you¡¯ve been moving around, I can tell you¡¯re not getting sore.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked suddenly, listening to ominous words.


    ¡°Of course, we have to raise the intensity,¡± she spoke, making him freeze in place slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not one to joke around,¡± Folvana said with a straight face, looking at him solemnly before the man finally sighed.


    ¡°What kind of intensity are you talking about?¡± He asked whilst sparing a glance. Although, despite moving his eyes towards the tree with a hollowed out portion of its bark, his head started to turn back on its own, looking at the lady without being able to do otherwise.


    Staring at her loose figure, his eyes widened and the hair swayed back, battling the soft wafts around them. Right in front of him, the sword¡¯s tip appeared yet again, the girl silhouette having changed momentarily.


    Swiftly turning to the initial position, Folvana¡¯s face kept its seriousness all throughout, only to break out into a faint amusement near the end. ¡°This one. Though, we will increase the pace from tomorrow. You¡¯re already wounded enough for today,¡± she said, somewhat easing the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°That being said, move into a stance. We¡¯re not done just yet,¡± the instructor spoke, making him falter for a breath before giving the girl a nod in agreement.


    Thereafter, while she moved around him, Lutiel slowly delved into a stance. Folvana no longer made him replicate her moves. Rather, she circled the man with her sword at display. ¡°Keep the pose up until I say otherwise,¡± her voice trailed along his ears.


    Moving the sword next to his right leg, he pointed it at the ground before staying there, breathing steadily whilst trying not to deviate from the position. Still, he firstly grit his teeth when a sword fell atop his flesh, albeit meeker compared to the spar.


    ¡°Correct your legs,¡± she uttered from behind, to which he moved immediately. However, looking down to see where his feet were, he quickly yelped out painfully. ¡°Why are you glancing down? Are you going to have such leisure in a battle?¡± Folvana asked away, leaving him to adjust the legs blindly.


    With four additional strikes along his legs, Lutiel could finally keep his stance through the space, standing there silently as the girl didn¡¯t stop commanding his actions. A few tens of breaths fell out as he kept in place, meanwhile her voice brushed past his shoulders swiftly.


    ¡°Change the stance into the first one I taught you,¡± she uttered, keenly watching as he calmly received the words.


    Turning immediately, only his torso differed. Yet, as soon as he stopped moving, the man groaned abruptly at the hit. ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± He blurted out, but the girl simply continued her approach.


    ¡°Your grip is off,¡± Folvana quickly informed, and he followed. Still, even if she didn¡¯t aim for the wrists, the sword hit through the arms. ¡°Position the sword better.¡±


    Similarly as before, a few more hits sprawled out of her before the man could finally rest with calm breaths. Yet, even his lungs started to hesitate the longer he handled the cold metal.


    Staying in the position while listening to the wind¡¯s rhythm, he couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth slightly as his arms started to twitch. Threatening to fall after another tens of heavy breaths left him, before they could however, her voice sprung back directly from behind, catching the man off guard.


    ¡°Move back to the previous one,¡± she said calmly, almost whispering directly into his ears. Moving under her words, the man happily led his arms down, swiftly pointing the blade back at the grass. No punishment fell upon him however, budding a seed of doubt inside.


    Instantly, his body flinched. Feeling a faint graze across his pants, he tried looking down, only for his head to twitch back forcefully. ¡°Why are you breaking your stance?¡± She asked, with the same amount of solemnity inside her voice as before. ¡°Do not move, despite any distractions,¡± the girl said whilst clinging to his jacket from behind, slowly beginning to tighten her grasp around his crotch.

 75. Repeat 2

    Gripping onto the firm material and feeling the softness veiled inside, she swiftly rubbed the area with her palm. Steadily, the pants grew taut while a visible line imprinted itself around the crotch. ¡°What did I say? Why are you getting any reactions?¡± She asked, starting to rub faster along the hidden shaft.


    Basically gripping it with her hand, Folvana¡¯s touches made him flinch immediately. Shivers ran through his back while the sword rattled, to which the girl stopped before tightening her grasp. Releasing a sharp groan as she squished his member, Lutiel almost dropped his weapon.


    ¡°Concentrate,¡± she said from behind, however, the man¡¯s motions waned continuously. Convulsing from all the sensations and exhaustion, his thighs and arms staggered on the verge of giving out.


    ¡°Argh,¡± he let out yet again, feeling a radiating slap sprawl along his back. ¡°I would focus, but you¡¯re getting in the way,¡± Lutiel added in between the breaths, but the girl simply continued running her hand along his protruding line.


    ¡°Are you just going to give in to your desires against an opponent? Will you stop fighting after she promises to lick your thing?¡± She asked clearly, making the man glance down at the grass.


    Pondering for a few brisk moments while clenching his stomach, he swiftly tensed the muscles around his whole body, trying to fight the girl¡¯s approaches. ¡°Good,¡± she uttered faintly, right before firmly wrapping her arms around his waist.


    The right hand nippily arrived near the belt, promptly grasping the metallic buckle before loosening it along with the pants. As soon as the shadows within dissipated, the man¡¯s face staggered with a quick roll of eyes downwards.


    Despite not moving, he watched as the hands pervaded their way inside his underwear. Feeling the lady¡¯s grasp, an acute breath escaped him, quickly hardening his jaw.


    Alas, rather than clenching his jaws, the member twitched excitedly. Her hands and breath faltering for a brief moment, Folvana still continued right after, starting to caress the unveiled glans with one hand while the other garnered attention of the whole shaft.


    Still inside his pants, the girl played silently, searching for clues throughout. Nonetheless, seeing as he kept standing in the stance, the girl looked up at his swaying hair before stopping all of a sudden.


    The arms slowly wriggled out of the crotch, leaving him to ponder unknowingly where her presence walked over to. Unable to hear her steps through the wind, Lutiel could only wait patiently to see or hear the girl anew. Despite that, the vigour around his member hadn¡¯t diminished. Still fitted tightly across his loosened pants, it twitched periodically in anticipation.


    Finally, he rolled his eyes down again after feeling the hands grasp his thighs. Before long, he watched as the golden-eyed demon traced her way towards his trousers, with hands hovering along the belt loops. Scooping the fingers inside, she pulled the pants down with a swift motion, flinching slightly after witnessing the standing penis fall down upon her face.


    Keeping it there for a while, Folvana staggered as her nostrils smeared against the tip before abruptly moving away, still kneeling on the ground. The eyes moved up right after her realization, however, the man kept his stance proper.


    Looking at him for a few moments, her lips parted slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t lose focus now,¡± she added, briskly pulling his cock down with both hands. Keeping the tension high with her left hand, the other leisurely brushed the sides all the way towards the tip, from which she marked her fingers with a viscous fluid.


    Creating strings from the substance as she spread her fingers apart, Folvana began covering the glans. Filling most of the space out, his teacher stroked it swiftly, her left hand still gripping the shaft¡¯s base. Moving her hand in a fervent manner, the man started to quiver immediately. However, not stopping as he let the noises out, Folvana descended into full attentiveness around his penis.


    Pulling and retracting the foreskin whilst stroking in the middle of his shaft, her motions made the man¡¯s flesh churn, moving unbeknownst to her. All she eyed was the glans ahead of her, seemingly defying the existence of his moans whilst jerking the member.


    Keeping the pace identical, Folvana¡¯s other hand descended along the shaft, briskly covering the fingers around his testicles. Grasped lightly, the man heightened his breath, the posture long since gone from adequate.


    Letting loose of the sword, it dropped to the ground before he turned to face her with straight legs, making the girl glance around at his actions.


    Despite that, she continued to face the dripping glans, her blank expression slowly looking up at his gasping face, not letting go of the penis at all.


    Instead, her pace swiftly increased, all while a faint crease lingered around the lips. Out of nowhere, Lutiel¡¯s eyes widened as he dropped down to his bottom, his body frozen in place. Although he sat bare against the piercing grass, he could do nothing as she pinned him down with magic.


    He watched plainly with a hasty breath as she intensified her moves around his penis. Parting her lips, a trickle of saliva promptly splattered around her palm, soon applied all around through her brisk moves.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    While the man¡¯s breath and sight hesitated from the actions, she no longer solely looked around his member, gradually peering at him as well. With the spattering sounds escaping around her palm and his cock, she felt the twitches intensify.


    Countless breaths exchanged between the two as she continued, targeting his swollen glans near the end before feeling it firm up further. However, as she felt it brimming with power, Folvana swiftly took her hand away.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The man immediately voiced out. Mingling with disappointment, the confusion also furrowed around his brows.


    Before he could ask why she stopped, her blank yet amused face sparked up. ¡°I told you to focus, didn¡¯t I?¡± She asked, gripping briskly on the base of the shaft and making his body twitch momentarily. From the entrance around the tip, a single spurt of white dribbled down his glans, under little enjoyment of the man. Still breathing harshly, he looked up at the lady, staring back at him.


    ¡°You seem a little disappointed. Why?¡± She asked, only to see his meekly bloodied face scowl up.


    ¡°Can you make me come the normal way?¡± He replied back with a question, locking eyes with her before seeing the golden gleam spark up.


    ¡°No,¡± she uttered rapidly, only growing the furrow around his brows. ¡°You need to be punished for not following my orders,¡± the girl added, no longer interested in his face after heading down.


    Quickly, his mouth opened wide as he staggered to breathe properly. Though, still eyeing the girl¡¯s movements, he watched her take his dick into her mouth. Despite the feelings he encountered, his shaft stood as strong as ever during their talk, the instructor taking full advantage of it.


    Covering his glans with the mouth, Folvana turned from slowly taking in the tip to eagerly bobbing her head. Cleaning away the smeared with cum tip immediately, she hadn¡¯t pulled away despite that, continuing to cover him in her saliva.


    At the same time, she intermittently descended deeper, devouring his cock with her mouth before quickly pulling out. With the strings of sticky saliva dripping down on his pubes, she used the fluids around his shaft, stroking the penis whenever her mouth stopped sucking on it.


    Then, even as she put his thing inside her mouth, the girl continued to stroke at the same time, making him release a few sharp breaths whilst constantly kept under her invisible shackles.


    She adjusted with repetition, the hand eventually resting along his moist pubes, rocking her head up and down thoroughly. From the tip down to the base, Folvana moved her mouth without stopping, making him squirm slightly from the pleasure.


    Steadily looking at the man clenching his neck from the lustful desires, she swiftly eased the movements. Slowing to carefully lick the top and sucking meekly at the same time, his breath immediately simmered out.


    Watching ahead of himself however, he couldn¡¯t help but swiftly turn away, looking at the happy eyes of Folvana. Enjoying disrupting his pleasure, she caressed his cock slowly, feeling it abate before eventually increasing her pace.


    At the same time, the shaft quickly sprung back to its full potential, turning as hard as her dummy sword.  Gurgling as she repeatedly hit against her throat, the tongue tickled his tip whenever she moved up, eventually making him close his eyes yet again before clenching the jaw. Yet, before he could come, Folvana simply clung her mouth along the side of his twitching member.


    Despite easing somewhat, his penis still stood hard as she moved away. Watching it pulse, eager to release properly, the girl glanced at Lutiel¡¯s face sparingly before raising her hand. With a weak slap around the tip, it twitched brightly, followed by a faint drizzle of cum starting to flow down the shaft. Once again, Lutiel released a deep breath, but the feeling swiftly dissipated, leaving him wanting for ever more.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± He said as the girl began to stand up. ¡°I will keep my stance properly next time. I just want to feel it better,¡± Lutiel specified, however, the girl retained the straight looks.


    ¡°Were you scared I was done? Don¡¯t worry, I still haven¡¯t pleased myself,¡± she said while the hands worked their way around the dark leather. Swiftly undoing the laces, she dropped down slightly before pulling the leather pants off, leaving behind a glistening spot inside them, as well as around her red pubes.


    Positioning herself around with his tip under her dripping lips, the girl briskly fell down on his upright rod, quickly raising her head before glancing at the skies. Stopping in place at the sudden expulsion of pleasure, she lowered herself further before finding her way around his torso without hands.


    Squatting down on his penis, Folvana bit herself around the lips before starting to raise the butt yet again, all whilst keeping her hands on top of his torn jacket. Moaning with a muffled tone as the shaft scraped along the walls, mostly her voice ruled over the place, Lutiel¡¯s soft groans stifled out.


    Slowly, she descended yet again, slapping her cheeks against his bare hips before raising herself. Growing the pace steadily, Folvana could no longer veil the moans, crying her chest out while needing to scour through the clouds.


    Riding his member, the lady seemingly forgot about her approach, escalating the speeds alongside the man¡¯s moaning whispers. Unable to do anything else, Lutiel simply indulged himself in the momentary pleasure, his instructor doing all of the work.


    Gushing with each thrust down, her lips briskly wetted the man¡¯s attire, however, he released no complaints. Seeing her entrance gripped onto the sides of his penis, Lutiel¡¯s eyes changed between her pussy, as well as the bouncing breasts. Not held onto by anything since she kept her hands around his abs, Folvana¡¯s boobs deeply enthralled him.


    His desire grew quickly, further and further as she tightened her grip around his cock and continued to ride it. Starting to glisten from the abrupt moves, the skin began gathering droplets of sweat, one of which fell down at him from the bridge of her nose.


    The groans intensified together with her movements, his cock starting to twitch uncontrollably. Yet, for the third time already, just as he was about to reach his peak, the girl¡¯s round cheeks rested atop his hips.


    With a mellow smile, the girl stared at his troubled brows amusedly, only for her arms to move. Quickly grabbing the left nipple with her left hand whilst assaulting her vulva with the other, she moaned away beneath his sight, the lips at the bottom starting to quiver from the pleasure.


    Tens of breaths later under her neglect, he watched her eyebrows finally contort before her butt drilled into his hips, at the same time pushing his cock further into the womb. Realising a brisk stream and tainting his whole torso in the process, Folvana gradually eased the tight grip around her nipple, pinching it lightly near the end of her squirt.

 76. Leisure 1

    Standing up through the somewhat wobbly legs, the girl couldn¡¯t help but glance absentmindedly, at the man, as well as the slowly descending shaft of his. Losing his erection, he simply stared at the wondrous girl, finally parting his lips as she wouldn¡¯t do anything else other than stare.


    ¡°Teacher, can you let me go now?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She blurted out all of a sudden, quickly gazing around before settling around his face. ¡°Right, you¡¯re still like that,¡± the voice brushed past his ears as her left arm stretched out, Lutiel able to easily move around the next breath.


    With an abrupt move up, he sat on the grass. ¡°Haa,¡± a faint sigh left his lips after seeing the girl start to tie the laces around her pants. The light shirt tightened up swiftly as she pulled and entwined the strings, sending brisk stares at the continuously disappointed man.


    Turning around to reach for her sword, the figure stopped any motions for a moment. ¡°If you train diligently, there may be a reward at the end,¡± she spoke with a quiet tone, however, the man simply kept down at himself, sitting there for a few breaths before eventually gathering up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± uttering whilst fastening the belt, he swiftly scooped his sword up.¡¯I¡¯ll make sure to get it. What am I thinking?¡¯ Pondering to himself suddenly, the man shook his head, only to turn around and stare at the crowded mansion.


    ¡­


    ¡°No, arn is no raf,¡± half through the demonic he could understand and half through gibberish, the girl let out a whisper. Sitting and standing respectively amid the walls of paper scattered along the whole room, Zyponia was subjected to the man¡¯s stare, gripping the pen in her right hand slightly harder.


    Meanwhile, the left hand encroached her eyebrows. Sprawling out the fingers to massage flowing, purple strands, the ink no longer bled out onto the paper as her hand hovered in the air with the tip.


    Slowly accumulating to a glistening droplet that threatened to splatter across the page, the girl flinched her hand abruptly, prompting the ink to plummet towards the sheet.


    Yet, after swiftly rolling her eyes at the fluid, they traveled further to see Lutiel¡¯s arm stretched out. Catching the drop with an empty page in his right hand, the man stood right beside her, ready to aid the lady at any moment.


    ¡°Ah, thank you,¡± she said quickly, right before turning back to ruminating over the few lines she had written down since they entered the room. Caressing her brows for a few breaths, she finally moved the pen beyond the page, dipping it inside the ink holder before tapping away at the excess.


    Immediately, she was back at the page, pouring words out one after another. Grazing across the dark paper with the metal, the ink smoothed out the harshness of the noise, flowing lightly from one end to another before Zyponia dipped it anew.


    Coming towards the page however, her actions hesitated. Skimming through the lines with her eyes, she swiftly crossed out a couple of words from the second last one. Scouring through the lines one more time, the pen curved a few words out once again.


    With much needed corrections, the girl gradually covered two-thirds of the page, briskly stopping before leaning towards the chair. While the back easily reached the wooden rails, her head continued descending, soon locking contact with the man above her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked beneath her gaze, his head lowered slightly.


    ¡°Could you massage my shoulders? I can¡¯t focus well when they¡¯re so tight,¡± asking softly, she saw no hesitation in his face. Swiftly nodding at the request, his hands nimbly reached the area, at the same time making her head turn back at the wall.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl continued after herself, leisurely closing her eyes to feel for the butler¡¯s fingers sinking into her skin, between the crimson gown she was wearing. Releasing calm breaths underneath his care, the girl¡¯s lips parted quickly.


    ¡°Are you just naturally talented with your fingers?¡± She asked, absentmindedly, feeling his tender touch along the strained muscles.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m just doing what I think is correct,¡± he said, battling internally to keep massaging whilst getting rid of the glyph¡¯s appearance. Taking in the guidance of the crest however, he stopped immediately when her heightened pitch leaked through the lips.


    ¡°Nghn~,¡± moaning and flinching suddenly as he drilled his fingers into her, Zyponia turned frozen.


    A breath later though, she already spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know I was this sensitive around there. Can you continue a bit lighter? I still need to finish my research here,¡± she added near the end, gaining a silent nod from the man before he once again gingerly massaged each shoulder.


    Despite lowering the focus around the page slightly, she still took the wooden frame from the side and placed the page inside. Taking the adequate tools at the same time, the girl suddenly regained her flow, swiftly grasping on the pen before starting to draw a circle underneath the lines.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Heeding to her words, Lutiel looked over the lady, glancing down attentively as she inscribed the shapes upon the paper. With dainty motions, her wrist drew the second circle already before going for the triangles.


    Before knowing it, whilst he was caressing the lady with a sophisticated touch, Lutiel watched as the circle disappeared completely after flickering faintly.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Yes? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of those circles?¡± He asked immediately, his hands steadily working around her neck and collarbones.


    ¡°Oh, you want to know about them?¡± She asked, staggering at first before speeding up. ¡°They are magic circles. These ones in particular are in order to protect the pages.¡±


    ¡°Protect? How so?¡± He asked yet again, a weak furrow surrounding the eyebrows. At the same time, the girl¡¯s head turned to the side, glancing at him with a smile before taking one paper out of the countless piles.


    ¡°Any spillage or tearing that might be subjected is nullified completely. Even if this whole place somehow caught on fire, it wouldn''t destroy these papers, hence why I¡¯m applying it to every important one,¡± she explained whilst the man kept massaging, glancing oddly as she flaunted the paper up.


    ¡°Here, you can try it yourself,¡± she added, disconnecting herself from him after turning around on the chair. Raising the paper, she swayed it with a smile.


    ¡°Are you sure? What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± He asked in confirmation, only for her smile to deepen.


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± her voice brushed past him and the dark paper columns, the man watching as she suddenly turned it around before placing her fingers on the page¡¯s longer side. Gripping tightly with the fingertips, she tried to pull one hand away from each other to rend the paper, however, it wouldn¡¯t budge no matter what.


    ¡°See? Try for yourself,¡± adding whilst stretching out her hand towards him, the dark sheet swiftly left her possession. ¡°I¡¯m quite proud of my circles, so-¡± the voice coming out of her suddenly stopped, hearing the tearing right in front of her.


    Contorting into a mellow frown as he ripped a quarter of the page before forcefully halting himself, Lutiel briskly opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he uttered, however, the girl didn¡¯t speak out, keeping her widened eyes around him instead.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just a bit shocked,¡± she spoke finally, slowly turning back to her normal face. ¡°No, what am I thinking? The circle must not work on humans. Even if you have more energy inside you, it¡¯s still relatively low compared to ordinary demons,¡± with a brisk explanation, she nodded her head before sitting close to the desk once again.


    ¡°I see,¡± he spoke quietly before the girl finally resumed her focus on the research. Though, as a fresh paper fell in front of her and the girl poked onto the ink holder, she immediately called for him yet again.


    ¡°Lutiel, please bring me a new ink.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± with a terse reply, he briskly began moving. Taking a step at a time carefully, he needed some time to reach for the tall bookshelf covered almost fully by the papers. Grasping the very last ink standing on the top shelf, Lutiel grabbed the substance slowly, soon walking over to the lady who watched him constantly.


    ¡°You said you were fine, but you¡¯re barely walking around from what I can see, ,¡± she spoke with a half-risen eyebrow, halting him even further.


    ¡°I am fine. It¡¯s just exhaustion. They don¡¯t hurt at least,¡± he said, however, the mellow frown around her didn¡¯t dissolve. Looking at him with a partially blank face, the ink vial swiftly left his hands, Zyponia catching it through the air before firmly placing the glass.


    Whilst he kept staring, she promptly moved down, opening the drawers before rummaging through. Tossing the objects inside with her hands and almost burrowing her head in the space, she finally took her left arm out.


    Shining out within his eyes, Lutiel stared at the glimmering vial easily wrapped around by her palm. Matching the shades of her eyes, the substance inside swirled on its own, even as it stood on top of the hand.


    ¡°Go fill out my bathtub and relax. Also, don¡¯t pour more than three drops inside, okay?¡±


    ¡°On this floor?¡± His eyebrows fell down slightly while asking, only to watch her face form a frisky smile.


    ¡°Of course, I will meet you there, so wait for me,¡± the girl added. Dropping her eyes down, she couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. Yet, no longer staring at his crotch anymore, Zyponia started to write away a breath later.


    Through a somewhat rash breath, the man caught the vial flying through the space gently, looking at it for a moment and heading towards the doors right after. With decisive hold around the handle, the corridor lit up in front of him, the lamps glowing to ease his way.


    Quickly keeping sight of a certain door ahead of him, Lutiel started to walk through his tiredness, somewhat battling it as his heart beat unabashedly. Changing his glance between the baths and the pink vial, he also glanced down at his slightly protruding pants. With a deep respire however, he already opened the door.


    Without waiting any moment more, he slowly placed the vial on the ground, tossing the clothes away from his body before taking the substance back.


    Walking towards the metallic tub fully bare, Lutiel didn¡¯t hesitate to turn the knobs of the faucet on. One leg at a time, he settled himself inside, groaning slightly as the faintly steaming waters submerged his body.


    Still within his grasp, the vial was promptly uncorked, tilting the glass lightly before three minute spheres splashed against the waters. Just as his lady suggested, he placed it next to the faucet after closing it.


    Almost immediately, he witnessed the waters turn their shade. From a translucent bareness showcasing the tub¡¯s metal, the pink tint spread throughout. Hesitating to wane its vividness out as the bath constantly raised itself, Lutiel nestled himself within the metallic confines.


    Leaning back on the tub¡¯s side before sprawling his arms out faintly along the rim, his head tilted back slowly, inhaling deeply only to release the breath quietly. Closing his eyes at the same time, Lutiel¡¯s brimming mind abated as he enjoyed the warm bath.

 77. Leisure 2

    ¡®What¡¯s in that vial? All of my soreness is practically gone,¡¯ he wondered weakly, still glancing at the ceiling with shut eyes.


    Back to listening to disruptions formed by the loud stream, he finally opened them again, feeling as his heart started to pace about. ¡°Huu,¡± breathing out acutely after seeing the tub filled out half-way, his sight quivered whilst searching around.


    Nevertheless, looking at the pinkish waters with glimmers scattered around, he suddenly went abuzz, opening wide after staring down at his hips. Similarly to him, his member also felt the heightened warmth, clearly expressing its eagerness.


    Finally having realized the erection, the firmness around it increased further. Quickly, he moved through his knees over to the faucet. Turning off the steaming stream, Lutiel sat back down, flashing his vision repeatedly around his crotch. Then, back to the waters. ¡®Is it a stimulant?¡¯ He wondered for a brief moment, lingering around the slight opaqueness it gave off.


    However, the thoughts briskly fell over on their feet, crumbling to nothingness after hearing the doors click away. Turning on the hinges swiftly, they revealed a striking image. A girl wearing a reddish gown stumbled inside before catching hold of his looks.


    Staring at him with a smile, Zyponia closed the doors without looking behind, stopping her motions near his clothes. ¡°What do you think?¡± Asking through the rustle of fabirc, she was already unveiling what lay beneath the dress, revealing her violet underwear to the man.


    With mellow shame, she firstly undid her bra, followed by pulling down on the panties and tossing them atop his clothes.


    Watching her start to come over immediately, Lutiel locked their gazes and parted his lips. ¡°It¡¯s working perfectly, but I¡¯m curious about something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Did you give me an aphrodisiac?¡± He asked with a blank face, making her smile recede into a weak frown. Stopping her quick gait for a moment, Zyponia shook her head adamantly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s meant to help your blood flow through the muscles more. Did you pour in more than three drops?¡± She asked, glancing at the man¡¯s concise shake before resuming her stride. Soon arriving near the tub however, the girl watched with somewhat amused eyes as he leaned over the rim, trying to veil himself.


    ¡°Really?¡± She asked while looking down, only for the man to steer away from her vision. ¡°We¡¯ve already done it, yet you don''t want me to see it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± he muttered faintly. ¡°I just can¡¯t think of anything else right now,¡± confessing with an omitting gaze, he simply heard as she stepped inside the waters, taking her side of the bath.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to see for myself,¡± she said with a minute smirk, easily covering her hand around his standing member before her eyes widened suddenly. ¡°Oh my,¡± she spoke, not turning her arm away from him. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding.¡±


    ¡°Haa,¡± breathing harshly, the man finally moved to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll manage, so let¡¯s relax for now.¡± Saying so, he turned his body to be right in front of the lady, but she only chuckled away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself. Sex is good for relaxing as well,¡± the girl uttered, steadily crawling through the bath before arriving next to him. Pinning his thighs down with her knees, Zyponia stared at the man¡¯s rosy cheeks, only to look down at his figure.


    Nevertheless, despite the blaring sight below her, she focused on the bluish lingers hovering around his torso. Swiftly placing her hands on one of the light bruises, her face fell blank after focusing on the aftermath of his training session.


    ¡°It still hurts when you press on them, you know?¡± He said to the girl, making her quickly trace back to some other spot.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what to think about these lessons. How is it supposed to help you overcome the block of killing?¡± She asked, to which the man simply shut his lips close.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either, but I know it¡¯s helping me grow quicker. I can already suppress two of her blows one after another,¡± he said, the girl promptly blinking at him.


    ¡°You can?¡± She asked in confirmation, only to spark up in the eyes as he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± she let out momentarily, swiftly dropping her head again before staring at the remnants of bruises. ¡°Even though it¡¯s a brutish way, if you¡¯re fine with it, I might be fine,¡± Zyponia said, smiling with shut lips and bringing her hands close to his hottened face.


    Caressing the strands away, she stared at him for a while, the man doing the same.


    ¡°Zyponia,¡± he said softly, constantly peering into her pink eyes. However, the girl didn¡¯t speak out anymore. Closing their separation from both sides, they met in the middle with their lips, slowly caressing the other¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Asking after pulling away from the kiss, her hands still around his feverish cheeks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this to end,¡± he muttered suddenly, beginning to grind his hips against her. Rubbing the shaft against her shaved pussy, both of them whispered a groan right after.


    ¡°Me too,¡± she mumbled after coming close to his ears. ¡°You¡¯ve made me addicted,¡± the girl added, only to nibble on his earlobe. As she busied her mouth, on the other end, Lutiel gradually grazed his fingers along her stomach, descending down the body.


    And, reaching the area he sought after, Zyponia¡¯s hot breath staggered. Moaning directly into his ears as the fingers pervaded through her entrance, Lutiel moved the hooked hand, briskly breaking the pink waters apart.


    Increasing the pace and making her figure stagger completely, he could only hear her moans stumble about. No longer interested in his ears, he deprived the lady of any strength, scouring around the vaginal walls.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Tensing under his tender care, her legs and arms fidgeted before burying his face in her breasts. Unable to refute the advances, he swiftly caught one of the nipples into his lips. ¡°Mmm, nghn,¡± she released countless moans and hastened breaths, however, it only fueled his desires.


    Igniting the pace around her pussy, he sunk the fingertips through the upper wall, making the girl bite her lips whilst shutting her eyes. ¡°AGH!¡± She screamed all of a sudden, the sound breaking through her throat as she cocked her head back.


    Convulsing through, her upper limbs shook from his steadiness. Dropping her head before looking down at the steaming waters, the girl promptly lurched at his face, burrowing herself into his opened lips and overwhelming his tongue.


    Constantly kissing, they slowly raised themselves, soon standing in the bathtub whilst below the calm light.


    Lutiel kneaded her asscheeks after grabbing them, at the same time bringing the lady closer to him. Similarly, she had her arms wrapped around his head, pushing herself deeper.


    Still, they eventually stopped, a bridge of saliva dripping down their bodies before the duo stepped outside. Descending towards the warm tiles, the girl swiftly rested on her knees while the man stood in front of her, lingering with a firm erection around her face.


    Pulling back the purple hair behind her ears, she grabbed his cock slowly, staring at it for a while before beginning to part her lips. Surrounding the tip with her mouth, his voice promptly leaked out. ¡°Ahh,¡± he muttered as the head raised itself slightly.


    Leaving saliva to glisten all over the tip, Zyponia briskly pulled the erection deep into her mouth before moving back, repeating the gestures while his abdomen started to clench up. Feeling the increase in pleasure, he couldn¡¯t help but glance down, keeping his hands around the hips.


    Sucking on his penis with obscene sounds, she added on her hand as well, slowly stroking the shaft. ¡°Ohh,¡± the man released a deep breath as she didn¡¯t stop in the slightest, making him flinch repeatedly. However, as he slurped on his dick for tens of breaths, he eventually reached out with his hands, grabbing the sides of her face.


    ¡°Argh, ahh,¡± grunting after feeling the sensations wash over, he immured the girl from moving away. However, keeping her hands around his waist, she didn¡¯t hesitate to take his load.


    Twitching incessantly as he released his cum, his cock drowned the lady¡¯s tongue in the warm fluid before finally taking his hands off her. Although staggering somewhat, his ragged breathing couldn¡¯t stop him from taking in the image of the girl gulping down his seed.


    Watching her swallow everything he released, the man couldn¡¯t help but drill his eyes into her figure, slowly approaching the lady with his member standing proudly.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She squirmed lightly as he easily pulled her up, swiftly turning the girl around. ¡°Hmm? What do you have in mind?¡± Asking whilst moving her head at him, she felt his touch along the entirety of her body.


    ¡°Can you lower yourself and grab on the tub¡¯s rim?¡± He asked suddenly, making her eyes spark up in realization.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied, promptly doing as he inquired. Taking the rim of the bath with her hands, she stared at her reflection in the water, the man starting to caress the moist folds she flaunted to him. Spreading the butt out however, his eyes went up. ¡°Hey,¡± she said quickly, somewhat abashed as he witnessed her wrinkly hole above.


    Regardless, she swiftly quivered through the tongue, feeling his tip prod away at her wet pussy. Grabbing onto the hips, he pushed slowly at first, both of them groaning from the pleasure. Easily reaching with half of his length before he felt a block restraining him, Lutiel gently moved back and forth, pushing her hips away before pulling them back.


    ¡°Ngnh, ahhh,¡± moaning under his plotting, she could only support herself with the bath, bending her back further to allow him to reach deeper.


    Steadily, he increased their pace through the tiles, quite quickly reaching a point where he knocked onto her womb¡¯s entrance every breath. Yet, he wasn¡¯t stopping there. Listening to her whimpering moans, he pushed even deeper, almost fully covering his member inside.


    Within a few moments, as their sultry slowly filled out and reverberated in the room, another noise welcomed their presence, the flesh slapping against each other. Finally able to fit his dick snugly, it only prompted him to grind the girl faster, making her head drop down as she looked ahead at the sullied floor.


    Their juices formed a small puddle underneath the area of the obscene actions, but she simply closed her eyes, moaning out as Lutiel didn¡¯t abate in pace. At the same time, he stared down at his member, covered at the top of the shaft with white smears. Gathering around the inside of her lips, the cream-like substance further eased his way in as the girl clenched her walls.


    Fucking her from behind, his sight naturally garnered around her entrance, briskly catching attention around the circular path of wrinkly skin.


    Despite clearly knowing the area, he couldn¡¯t help but stare at the sheer cleanliness, easily matching the pinkness around her areolas. With a curious approach, the man¡¯s hand rubbed her butt. Instead of the hips, he used her plump cheeks as an anchor, quickly tracing along the wrinkled skin with his thumb.


    Without stagnation, the girl flinched in between her moans. ¡°No, don¡¯t touch there,¡± she said after turning her rosy face at him. Even reaching for him with one of her arms, she was about to grab his prurient hands when he suddenly tightened his grasp around the butt. Burying his member deep inside the girl, faster than before, her face contorted while indecent noises crawled out of her mouth.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ahh,¡± mumbling each time he knocked onto the soft, round wall within her, as well as every time their wet flesh met, Zyponia let him do as he pleased. Massaging the girl¡¯s butthole, he felt it contract around his thumb immediately as he pervaded inside. Clenching around her vagina as well however, the man groaned, poking and pulling out the finger to make her tighten up.


    ¡°Ahhhgn! I¡¯m coming! Faster!¡± She practically screamed through the hushed tongue, feeling his quick groans comply with the request. Slapping against her thighs and butt with fiery succession, he followed on with the speed for a few tens of breaths, only to halt himself strongly before pushing deeper than ever.


    Falling down and wrapping himself around the girl¡¯s chest, he groaned as the girl released a faltering breath. At the time he gave the last push, his tip, cornered by the entrance of her womb, started to release his warmth deep inside, the girl¡¯s legs giving out whilst releasing a strong burst of fluids at his legs and the floor.


    Sinking his fingers deep into her breasts as he couldn¡¯t catch a true breath, the duo stayed that way for a while, moaning their throats out to the other. Nevertheless, pulling his cock out, he saw as the girl still stood that way, leaning against the tub rim whilst his cum began to dribble out of her swiftly retracting entrance.


    Seeing the legs wobble about, Lutiel came over to the lady, raising her arms and helping her stand clearly. Glancing at the man, she couldn¡¯t help but smile before parting her lips. ¡°We should reserve this position only for my bed, alright?¡±


    Uttering the words however, Zyponia also swiftly stared down, seeing as his member still hailed towards the ceiling. Rather than going down, it seemed to have only turned sturdier. With a silent smile, the girl pushed him towards the floor, letting him cling behind her whilst raising her left leg up for him to hold.


    Inviting the man, he didn¡¯t wait long, pushing his erection inside her entrance once again. Hugging the lady as they lay side by side, he thrusted whilst reaching for her mouth, sucking on her lips and tongue to stifle out her sharp moans.


    ¡­

 78. A Secret Deal 1

    The rays fell in abundance, parting through the clouds whilst leaving their glisten on the dark exterior of the carriage. With a sparse glance, the demons walking by no longer seemed as interested in the everyday sight, the man inside sharing their attitude. Staring ahead of him at the fair cushions around the seats, his crossed arms dug through each other, fingers gripping the flesh tightly.


    Though, a brisk sigh suddenly escaped his mouth, making him turn to the right before quickly eyeing the demons moving by. Yet, as he found what he had been looking for, he quickly turned his head back around to the carriage, shaking it at himself and glaring down at his pants. ¡®Damnit, why am I still so horny? I¡¯ve been meeting up with Zyponia every other day, is that still not enough for you?¡¯


    Asking away, he couldn¡¯t help but whisper as sigh again, slightly deeper than before. Settling his forearm next to the carriage¡¯s window promptly, he rested his chin on the palm, staring sparingly at the city.


    Eight days, an entire week, had passed ever since the demon lord granted him the vial. It worked wonderfully nevertheless, it only lasted for a day or two. With Folvana once again increasing the intensity, his body yet again fell into a slump, barely functioning from the soreness that lasted all the way until he woke up the next morning.


    Recalling the demoness¡¯ machinations, his face soured swiftly before moving back to normal, regaining his breaths. ¡®No matter what, I will make sure even just one of my attacks lands on you,¡¯ he thought to himself before closing his eyes.


    Still, despite wanting to stay that way for a while and ponder about, something prodded him to open his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± said the familiar coachman.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± opening the doors, he replied readily. Quickly going on his way, Rovier simply nodded his head, promptly beginning to drift off into a nap on the cushions of the carriage, despite the air that brought about frost on the metals scattered throughout the street.


    Regardless, Lutiel didn¡¯t turn his head back, nor did he glance at the demons around him, seeing as they did the same. Although occasional, the stares he received were only fleeting, so the man briskly omitted them.


    Instead, he kept his eyes attentive on the wall of buildings right before the market square. Tossing his eyes back and forth a few times, before long, he already walked through, heading along the murky alley.


    With nippy, yet gingerly steps, he walked through the door on his right, stepping into the even duller space before arriving near the faintly lit area, where two armored guards stood on each side, protecting the heavy door behind them.


    ¡°Why did you come here? There are only a few soldiers inside as there is no meeting arranged,¡± the one on the left asked immediately as he came to view, however, Lutiel only nodded his head faintly.


    ¡°I know. I came to meet Tokiren,¡± he spoke promptly, making the guard¡¯s eyes stare deep into him for a few moments. Finally parting the lips within his helmet however, he spoke away.


    ¡°Fine. Show me the oath,¡± the man added, keeping succinct in his nod after seeing the red mark. Both of the guards immediately shattered their sternness, plainly looking ahead of themselves whilst Lutiel walked through before closing the door.


    Immediately, a somber silence descended upon him, staring at the sparsely illuminated brick floor. No soul reverberated within his eyes, only the faint whispers welcoming him from a distance far away. With a beating cadence, it reminded him of the slaves chipping away at the massive boulders in the coal docks.


    Regardless, Lutiel shook off the sounds, promptly glancing ahead of himself, where the table with a map sprawled out on it stood. Right before he reached it however, he turned left, walking through the empty corridors and glancing at the wooden door at the end of the space.


    Reinforced with metal similarly to the first door of the hideout, it only differed in its smaller size, fit for a casual room. Coming forward, he knocked on the wood, swiftly waiting through the scattering silence.


    Almost lengthy enough for him to hear his own breath, a voice from inside came forth, enveloping his ears. ¡°Come inside,¡± the merchant spoke faintly, yet it still reverberated through the space.


    Grabbing onto the handle, Lutiel pushed the door, promptly watching the surroundings engulf his eyes. Similar to the space he had seen before, when the man burned the slave brand onto him, he watched him sit behind the wooden desk, on which countless items sprawled about.


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    At the same time, he watched the demon merchant sit leisurely on his chair, sipping on the square-shaped glass containing an amber substance along with a few cubes of ice.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come,¡± he added after seeing the man. Putting the glass on his desk, Tokiren finally looked directly into his eyes. ¡°So, what is it that you wanted to meet me alone for?¡± He asked with a blank face.


    ¡°I have a few questions I wanted you to answer,¡± Lutiel said, making the merchant toss his eyes to the side before releasing a faint sigh.


    ¡°And you require me to waste my time and resources on you for free? Kid, get a grip-¡± leaning his head back, he started speaking, only to stop after hearing a splashing and ringing sound that sprung out a couple times.


    Staring down at his desk, he saw the drink sway around in the glass, its content spilled out onto the papers underneath. Inside the amber liquid, five coins of a silver shine glistened into his eyes, not focusing on the fact that Lutiel wetted his items.


    ¡°Is five silver dracars enough for some questions?¡± The man asked, his stretched out hand empty. Breaking out a smile all of a sudden, the merchant promptly hovered his hand over the glass, the coins briskly flying up to his palm before he clenched it into a fist. Burying them into his pocket, Tokiren swiftly rolled his tongue.


    ¡°Oh, but of course! Ask away,¡± he spoke with a budding smile, beaming full of amicability.


    Although grinding somewhat internally, Lutiel didn¡¯t ponder long on the man before him, swiftly caressing the collar around his neck before asking with a straight face. ¡°Tell me all the functions of the slave brand I¡¯m wearing.¡±


    ¡°Hoo, I thought you were going to ask about removing the brand even though I already told you about it,¡± he spoke faintly, watching promptly as Lutiel made a light shake of his head.


    ¡°I will get to that later, so tell me about it,¡± he prodded.


    ¡°Alright, alright. A slave brand is a slave brand, no matter what. Ranks like platinum and silver are only different in the matter of keeping the magic intact, so don¡¯t think about it too much. Their effects are the same.¡±


    ¡°Which are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going there, alright? You don¡¯t have to be so hasty,¡± he said through a somewhat raised eyebrow. ¡°Basically, the brand allows the master to conduct complete commands over the slave. She can force you to do anything she wants, even kill yourself.¡±


    ¡°She told me that already,¡± the man spoke back quickly, adding before the breath ended. ¡°What else is there?¡±


    ¡°She told you, huh? Your mission must be going smoothly,¡± Tokiren muttered lightly, quickly looking back at the man. ¡°As for the other effects, a master can willingly inflict pain through the brand, as well as stop any of their movements. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°What about knowing where I am?¡± Lutiel asked, nudging the man to smile slightly.


    ¡°Is that what was troubling you? Don¡¯t worry, she most likely used magic to know your position. The brand isn¡¯t able to do that.¡±


    ¡°I see. So what you¡¯re saying is that I could simply run away from the mansion and she wouldn¡¯t know where I am?¡± He asked immediately, to which the smile around Tokiren broadened.


    ¡°Sure, if she hasn¡¯t given you an internal rule. Like I told you, if she orders the brand something like ¡®don¡¯t move away for more than a hundred steps, as soon as you exceed that limit, the area of your brand will give you a hellish pain, at the same time making you want to move back immediately,¡± he explained quickly, making Lutiel stare him down silently. Countless thoughts started to run through him, however, the man glanced back to see the demon.


    ¡°Alright, I get it now,¡± he spoke, hesitating near the end before Tokiren caught his tongue back.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of asking if I will remove the brand, I told you already. When your mission works out, your brand will be nullified,¡± he said, the smile around him dissipating into blankness.


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the point in me even doing the mission? I¡¯m risking my life when I don¡¯t know if the attack will be successful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how it works. I can¡¯t give you what you want for free, you know?¡± Leaning back in his chair somewhat, the merchant painted a leisurely face, irreverent almost. However, he still glanced back under the furrowed eyebrows of Lutiel.


    ¡°I¡¯m meant to convince her the attack will be on the docks. How will you resolve the brand if she loses all of her trust in me? She will tie me down to the mansion and we won¡¯t be able to meet,¡± the man argued, trying to search for any clues through his round face. Alas, the folding chins simply remained there, composed and resting. Watching the man with his hands on his belly, Tokiren briskly parted the lips.


    ¡°No,¡± a terse voice brushed the slave, only for his jaw to clench before reverting his eyes to the ground, calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not profitable to have you run around freely when we don¡¯t really know your true character. At most, I could meet you in the docks a few hours before the day, nothing else.¡±


    However, staring ahead with a smile glued to his face, the demon¡¯s right arm swiftly fell down on the desk, tapping a finger away before tilting his head to the side. ¡°Well, no, I guess there is one other way.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡± Lutiel glanced up decisively, easing the jaw at the same time. As the words crawled out of his mouth, Tokiren shined gleefully, taking the glass with liquor before sipping lightly.

 79. A Secret Deal 2

    ¡°Five golds.¡± Slowly taking his lips off the rims, Tokiren spouted. Although his face soured harshly, Lutiel didn¡¯t say anything on the matter.


    ¡°What is it?¡± A plain question that only made the merchant even happier fell through the room. So, with a swift tongue, he met the slave.


    ¡°A suppressant in the form of a fabric, a special cloak that will make the brand stop working for the time you¡¯re wearing it,¡± he spoke blankly, immediately making the man¡¯s brows fall down. Stuck somewhat between confusion and incredulity, the demon witnessing everything huffed a breath before quickly standing up


    ¡°Let me show you,¡± he added, only to stop his movement as Lutiel spoke back.


    ¡°Wait a second. I barely make three silvers a week. I will never be able to buy this before the planned day,¡± the man spoke, to which Tokiren swiftly nodded his head.


    ¡°I thought so,¡± he said faintly, but the clarity in his face didn¡¯t diminish. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t matter. Although it will be a bit pricier, I can give it to you right now. All you will have to do is pay me back a small portion every month. How much of your own money do you have at the moment?¡±


    Staying silent while looking deeply into the eyes of the merchant, Lutiel kept that way for a few breaths, however, the demon never abated in his amicable smiles. ¡°Twenty silvers,¡± he said briskly, making the man nod his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You can give it to me the next time you come here. Well, if you like the cloak, of course, I won¡¯t force you,¡± he said, promptly turning towards the wardrobe near the right wall.


    Rattling through the space as he opened the doors, chains and collars fell out briskly, making the demon chuckle awkwardly. Still, they stopped suddenly before being able to graze the floor. Reaching up for something instead, Tokiren soon presented it to the man.


    Without a shine whatsoever, the dark fabric lingered on the verge of pure night. Sprawling out from the hood to right before the wooden planks, the cloak swayed as it flew through the space, nippily arriving next to the human.


    Immediately, Lutiel grasped the plain attire, feeling its softness before glancing back at the demon. ¡°How can I know whether it will work in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He asked, somewhat confused, only to stagger about as he felt a sudden, acute pain spreading through his chest all the way to his right arm. Immediately, his eyes widened as he felt a pulsating sensation scattered around his right cheek, a hand leaving its pink imprint on it. ¡°What did you do?¡± Immediately, Lutiel creased his eyebrows fervently, staring at the demon with unclear eyes.


    ¡°I commanded over you. I am the one that created your brand, of course I have some authority over it. Now, put your cloak on and feel the difference,¡± he added, gesturing with his arm to eager Lutiel¡¯s approach.


    However, with some hesitation, the man questioned him first. ¡°Will Lady Zyponia not know? We¡¯re connected in some way, no? Won¡¯t she feel a halt in the connection?¡±


    Raising an eyebrow at the man, Tokiren couldn¡¯t help but voice out. ¡°You¡¯ve got an extensive imagination, you know? Don¡¯t worry, it works by suppressing the commands, it doesn¡¯t sever the connection in the brand.¡±


    Hearing all he needed, Lutiel¡¯s arms moved briskly, tossing the cloak over his shoulders and letting it fully envelop his figure. Fitting as snugly as the gloves he had on himself yet with room to spare, the hood finally fell down on his head. Standing calmly, he awaited Tokiren¡¯s moves.


    Thankfully, there was no need to wait long. Only a breath later, he felt a staggering pain spread out from the middle of his chest, right to where his right arm was, the same as before. Yet, a moment later, all of it dissipated, feeling a sudden rupture in the forced moves.


    ¡°Haa, haa,¡± breathing somewhat harshly from the pain, Lutiel lingered around the merchant¡¯s face, pondering for a while. ¡°How can I be sure you didn¡¯t simply stop the command by yourself?¡±


    Once again, raising his eyebrows even further, Tokiren stared at the man with incredulity in his eyes. ¡°How do you want me to convince you, then? There is no other way. Besides, if you try it on Zyponia, she will tell immediately. It¡¯s your choice now. Do you want it, or do you not?¡±


    The question reverberated inside the man¡¯s ears, sinking deep within him as he looked in the demon¡¯s eyes. Despite keeping mum whilst churning internally, he eventually spoke back. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°Aha,¡± the demon raised his voice, following right after. ¡°I knew you were a resolute man from the time I saw you in the arena. Alright, let¡¯s see,¡± he said, slowly walking over to his desk while Lutiel already folded the thin cloak, tightly enough for it to fit it inside his pants.


    Watching with furrowed brows as the human unbuckled his belt, he kept silent after seeing him store the cloak along his thighs, needing a while to make himself look quite normal.


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    However, after a few moments of adjustments, he could finally move around, with just a few, faint creases around his pants that didn¡¯t give away too much. At the same time, Lutiel finally looked ahead of himself, glancing at the paper dangling from the merchant¡¯s left hand, as well as the readied pen in the other.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°A contract,¡± Tokiren spoke back plainly, explaining at the man¡¯s clouded looks. ¡°To make sure you pay everything back.


    ¡°I see,¡± Lutiel said lightly, catching the paper before bringing it close to himself. Yet, he could only read through some of the demonic, all else utterly unclear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, you won¡¯t understand anyway,¡± he said, swiftly adding on as Lutiel¡¯s eyes looked at him again. ¡°It just says you will be paying back eight silvers every month for seventy months, excluding the twenty dracars you offered, which you still have to pay.¡±


    ¡°Two thirds of my wage each month?¡± He asked with clenched eyebrows, glaring at the shrugging man.


    ¡°What can I say? It¡¯s the price of freedom,¡± saying back, he still waited for him, the pen kept in his right hand. However, Tokiren swiftly crossed his arms as Lutiel took it away with a sigh.


    ¡°Haa, do I just write down my name?¡± He asked, only to receive a few brisk nods from the man.


    Then, he lowered himself on the desk, placing the paper before starting to curve his right hand. Unable to see the eyes staring down at him, Lutiel simply wrote away his name.


    Immediately, Tokiren formed a smile as the man lent him the papers back. Staring at the signature, he could only deepen it before stretching out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure working with you, Thomas.¡±


    Glancing down at him, Lutiel didn¡¯t wait long, gripping the hand before the two shook it firmly. ¡°Before I go, can I ask one last question?¡± Adding suddenly as they retrieved their arms, he stared at the merchant solemnly.


    ¡°Oh, please, naturally,¡± he replied nippily, sprawling the paper along the desk before glancing back at the human.


    ¡°Do you think a human could learn the demonic language?¡± He asked, quickly festering a confused look as the demon snorted out a laugh.


    ¡°Hahaha, no, no, it would be impossible. Not even in a thousand years of learning every day. I¡¯m sorry, but I will have to kill your curiosity for your own good,¡± he said while Lutiel meekly nodded his head.


    ¡°I see. I guess I was too hopeful. I thought it would help us if we learned it,¡± he said, scratching the side of his nape while the man leaned forward a bit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s what my people are here for,¡± he said, tapping his hand on Lutiel¡¯s left shoulder before bringing it back to himself.


    ¡°Okay. Thank you for meeting me, I will go now,¡± the man spoke plainly, turning around in the middle of the words.


    ¡°Yes, it was a pleasure. See you later,¡± the demon added while the doors were already opening. Briskly closing them, Lutiel walked ahead of the corridor, glancing at the table in the distance with indifferent eyes. ¡®I hope Thomas won¡¯t have to pay you back,¡¯ he thought inwardly, his blank mien heading through the cellars of the hideout before reaching the entrance.


    ¡­


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯ A thought crept within his mind, staring at the lady in front of him somewhat curiously. At the same time, he glanced at the pale horse she was caressing at the moment.


    ¡°Are you waiting for something?¡± She suddenly asked, her left hand gleaming its pinkish red along the horse¡¯s mane. Turning around however, the girl stopped, watching him near the doors of the entrance.


    ¡°Where are we going? Weren¡¯t we supposed to spar at the hills?¡± He asked, only for her to glance back at the horse. Jumping onto it, only then did she turn to the side again.


    ¡°It¡¯s your first test today. Get on, we¡¯re moving to the base of the mountains,¡± she said, making him stagger about beside the door. Staying frozen for a while, the girl¡¯s arm swiftly stretched itself out towards him.


    Fumbling forward, his body moved on its own, the sword in his right hand bouncing off the bricks a few times. Although the forced movement stopped abruptly, it allowed him to initiate motions of his own. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have said it yesterday?¡± He asked whilst slowly coming over, but the girl spoke only as he had gotten near her legs.


    ¡°No, surprises are what lets you progress. A battlefield is nothing but those, so get used to it,¡± she said, making him sigh away as his foot nested itself within the stirrup. Getting on top of the horse, he swiftly snuggled himself around the lady. Wrapping his hands around her stomach clinging to the girl tightly.


    Naturally, a response came from below him, however, the girl omitted giving him any comments. Clicking with her tongue, she engaged the horse instead. Out of nowhere, their speed exploded, Lutiel needing to grab her even harsher before he got used to the pace.


    The red hairs in front of him brushed his face momentarily, swiftly falling back down around her figure. Similarly, as though the wind hadn¡¯t influenced either of them, Lutiel¡¯s white strands also fell down to his back, making him witness the lands around better as they had escaped the mansion¡¯s gates a few breaths prior.


    Galloping through the forest around the manor at dizzying speeds, Folvana maneuvered the horse with effortless ease. Despite the uneven terrains of the hill¡¯s road, nothing stood in their way.


    Within a minute or so, much faster than when he drove in the carriage, they had already left the scope of the forest. Engulfing their sight, undulating lands escaped their plain confines, trying to reach for the skies. However, only those at the very horizon seemed successful, grazing the ashen clouds with their snowy peaks.


    Steadily, the mountains grew larger, with every breath they took. Staying silent throughout the somewhat lengthy journey, Lutiel could only stare at the girl¡¯s back, or at the landscape quickly passing by.


    Regardless, he didn¡¯t find her focused state harsh, seeing as they had already arrived near the base of the mountains. Stopping by a tall pine near the road, they briskly hopped off the horse, the instructor promptly tying the horse to the tree.


    ¡°I hope you remember all the stances I taught you so far,¡± she said suddenly, arriving near her student before taking the lead. The man pondered on the words with faintly furrowed eyebrows, but he couldn¡¯t arrive near a conclusion.

 80. Tested

    ¡°Can you at least tell me what the test will be about?¡± He pried at the girl.


    Still facing him with her back, Folvana wondered silently for a few breaths. ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t be willing to do it, then,¡± she said, slowly losing speed before turning her head at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I am now that you said it,¡± he added, making the girl shake her head in meek annoyance.


    ¡°Did you develop some fantasy about me hitting you? It seems that¡¯s all you want to do right now,¡± she said, raising an eyebrow while staring at him. However, the man didn¡¯t find her amusing in the slightest.


    ¡°Maybe, I¡¯m sure I want to land one of my attacks on you,¡± he replied, briskly creasing his eyebrows as she chuckled away.


    ¡°You will need a while for that to happen. However, it¡¯s good for you to think that. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here,¡± her voice trailed along his ears, making him deepen the brows even further.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lutile asked swiftly, to which she simply kept staring at him with her golden eyes. Feeling his skin tighten around the back, the man wanted to break away from her gaze, but he simply couldn¡¯t do it.


    ¡°You will be fighting against a wolf today, that is your test. You will have to win if you don¡¯t want a harsher routine,¡± she explained with a blank face, on the verge of sternness.


    ¡°By winning, you don¡¯t mean-¡± He started speaking right after, a confused glare surrounding his face. Yet, before he could finish, she swiftly cut him off.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you know what I mean,¡± the girl said, to which he soured harshly. Burying his eyes into the ground, as well as the sword in the scabbard around his waist, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    ¡°Haa, I¡¯ll try my best,¡± he replied, finally glancing up at the lady. Yet, seeing the light smile she garnered, shock sprouted around his face.


    ¡°What? Why are you staring at me like that? Do I look weird?¡± Folvana asked suddenly, returning to the stern. Crossing her arms as well, she awaited the response with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°No, I was just surprised. Let¡¯s go already,¡± he talked swiftly, his tongue igniting a hesitant nod from the lady.


    Having spouted the words, Lutiel once again followed her steps, at the same time trying to ease his breath as the chest became rowdy inside him. ¡®It¡¯s just a wolf, it¡¯s not a human, okay?¡¯ He thought to himself, clenching his jaw before reaffirming the gaze around Folvana.


    Still, the lingering feelings within hardly allowed him to focus. Before he could even know it, the surroundings had changed. ¡°We¡¯re here, wait a second,¡± the girl suddenly whispered, making his face flinch as they stood behind a tree able to veil their figures.


    She quickly leaned to the right, Lutiel doing the same. Immediately, the man stared ahead with solemn eyes, a beast reverberating within his eyes.


    Long strands of silvery grey coated its body fully, its mouth tainted bright red as the wolf kept its jaw working around the mauled corpse of what only resembled a rabbit. Looking down at the corpse intently with its bark-shaded eyes, the large, lone wolf steadily devoured the prey.


    Yet, the man that kept sight of his potential opponent suddenly staggered through the space, soundly announcing his presence to the wary beast. Immediately, Lutiel glared back, searching for the girl that pushed him.


    Nowhere to be seen however, he could only sigh, turning to see the wolf lowering its body whilst tensing the jaws. Its muzzle wrinkled and eyes opened wide, the animal stayed still only for a moment, taking gingerly steps towards the man right away.


    Breathing out louder than usual, the man moved his hands to the side, swiftly catching hold of his weapon. Unsheathing the sword, a meek shine fell upon the two. While the wolf slowly approached the human, baring its teeth, Lutiel took on a stance of his own.


    Lowering his legs like usual, rather than pointing the sword behind him, he held his arms firmly around the right hip, the blade¡¯s tip blaring directly at the wolf¡¯s mouth.


    Regardless, the animal didn¡¯t hesitate in its moves at all. ¡®Of course. You must be hungry, huh?¡¯ The man thought to himself, staring at the beast¡¯s slightly protruding ribs along the emaciated body, however, his stance didn¡¯t waver.


    He also walked through the forest¡¯s rough terrain, making sure not to stagger about on the soil. Yet, seeing as the wolf got closer and closer to him, Lutiel¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but reverberate its cries.


    The beast lurched forward suddenly, the man failing to respond immediately. Nonetheless, the beast practically invited itself to the man¡¯s weapon, the eyes moving directly in the sword¡¯s path.


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    Through dubious thoughts, however, Lutiel failed to arrive in time, only grazing the wolf¡¯s cheek before a faint stream of crimson flowed down the gray hairs. Whimpering momentarily as it jumped back, the eyes descended in fury.


    Growling and immediately running at the man, the animal jumped to the side vehemently, evading the painful metal and jumping once again, this time right at the human. ¡°Ugh,¡± albeit groaning as he had to move away too abruptly, the jaws couldn¡¯t reach his flesh.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t afford to think. The fur flashed in his eyes, its sharp teeth glaring their presence whilst ready to bite down for the sweet blood. Putting the blade in their way swiftly, Lutiel made the beast bite the metal down.


    Wails filled the area anew, but he didn¡¯t follow in with his attacks. He simply stayed there, his stance readied, yet he did nothing to attack the beast. He waited incessantly, watching as the enraged animal growled deeply before running at him for the third time.


    Deepening his glare around the wolf¡¯s limbs, Lutiel moved to the side as a failed attempt couldn¡¯t reach the wounded cheek. Dodging the ferocious teeth, he could have swung down to the side, however, he hesitated once again.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Exclaiming internally, the blade pointed its sharpness at the ground, successfully blocking the beast¡¯s pounce.


    Or rather, he thought he did. Briskly changing directions, the wolf headed for his left leg, making him panic in response. With a sudden move to the right within his stance, his eyes hadn¡¯t scoured the ground.


    Hitting a root beside him, Lutiel stumbled through the space. ¡°ARGHH!¡± His scream bellowed throughout the forest, reaching every creature scattered throughout before they flew away. Glancing down to witness his ankle engulfed in the maw of the wolf, blood glided along the yellowish canines before the beast started to shake its head.


    Feeling the teeth pervading deeply through his flesh, Lutiel swiftly kicked his right leg, thrusting at the wolf¡¯s neck.


    Immediately, the beast let off, but not without pulling away some of the skin and the fabric. Rolling around through the forest at his strength, the animal only stopped as a tree stood in its way, whimpering when its ribs hit the tough trunk.


    ¡°UGH! Ugh! Fuck!¡± Cursing as he saw the deep grooves pool with dark red blood swiftly, he touched the bottom of his calf gently, once again groaning as he did it.


    Supporting himself with the sword, Lutiel slowly stood up. His stance could no longer keep the same, limping and squealing from the sensations. Putting too much weight on the leg made him stop whatsoever, so he solely relied on the right one.


    ¡®Come on, just do it already. I can¡¯t keep having Raeyine waste her powers on me,¡¯ he said to himself, seeing as the wolf once again raised its head to scour through its surroundings. Despite limping slightly however, it swiftly regained its nimbleness, already running at the man with a clenched jaw.


    Jumping at the human straight on, he finally tensed his arms freely, slashing away at the muzzle. Cutting through it with utter ease, the wolf fell down, getting away before sobbing through howling whimpers. Blood dripped swiftly from the halved nose, but it still wasn¡¯t enough for it to stop. Wrinkling the dark, glistening skin even further, it ran through the space yet again.


    But, the man was able to land another slash. Grazing along the wolf¡¯s torso, his blade garnered blood on the cusp of its edges, promptly cutting through the air as Lutiel pulled the sword back.


    Seeing the opportunity, despite the lingering pain that radiated through its body, the wolf jumped at the man, easily grabbing the forearm before doing the same as it did with the ankle.


    ¡°AAAGHHH!¡± Lutiel screamed anew, feeling the wolf pull and jerk away at his flesh. Letting go off the sword with his right, he swiftly pierced the sword through the animal¡¯s stomach, clenching his face. With angered brows, he slashed to the side, feeling as the tense jaws gradually abated.


    The wolf, roughly as long as his height, fell down on its side, breathing harshly as the blood spilled away down to the ground. With its stomach cut open, the organs inside were nothing but destroyed. Finally lowering his sight at what he had caused, the man stared at its chest, heaving up and down intermittently.


    The mouth whimpered through whispers, respiring poorly in its state. Shutting his lips before looking at the beast, Lutiel walked gingerly, soon standing over the wolf. Raising his sword, it hovered over the heart, almost touching the fur.


    However, despite lingering around the area, he simply remained there, watching as the animal stared at him with hateful eyes, still alive.


    ¡°Just kill it. You¡¯re only prolonging its torture,¡± a voice from the back suddenly met his figure, swiftly intensifying the whimpers from below. Heeding the advice, although he still needed a couple of breaths, Lutiel finally pushed the blade down, hearing a heightened whine before the light in its eyes died out. The head falling lifelessly to the ground after a few moments, the wolf no longer replied, making Lutiel stare at it as though in a daze.


    Parting his lips whilst watching the blood that stained the fur more and more, only to pool around the grass, he couldn¡¯t help but sway back. Losing grip of his sword, he quickly fell to his knees, staring at the floor of the forest before fully parting his mouth.


    Gruesome noises reverberated through the place as he emptied his stomach, the girl on the side watching attentively. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while, but at least you¡¯re moving forward,¡± she said to the man, but he didn¡¯t listen whatsoever. Taken over by the barf to the hilt, his only reaction was to vomit continuously.


    Still, there was a limit his stomach had imposed. Groaning and gasping at the sudden need of a fresh breath, he swiftly spat out the lingering substance along his throat. Smearing his lips away with the clean side of the jacket, Lutiel raised himself, supporting the hands on the knees whilst his breath calmed itself slowly.


    After he stayed that way for a few moments did his face finally sour. Staring at the puke with creased eyebrows, he quickly got away from the scene, turning back to Folvana instead. ¡°Was it so bad?¡± She asked suddenly, but the man didn¡¯t reply.


    Glancing into the golden eyes of hers for a while, his silence scattered throughout the forest. With leisurely pace, he finally started walking towards the animal¡¯s carcass. Despite faltering from every step he put pressure onto the tattered ankle, he still got there in the end.


    Firstly, with a deep inhale, he grasped the sword¡¯s pommel before pulling it out from the body, lightly cleansing it through his pants before sheathing the blade away. Staring down for a few more breaths and fighting the guttural urges coming from deep within him, Lutiel¡¯s lips finally broke away.

 81. A False Hero 1

    ¡°Will I have to kill more of them?¡± He asked with a soft tone, his head turned at the girl in her fluttering shirt. Remaining there as the words fell on her ears, the girl eventually twisted into a meek grin.


    ¡°Of course. Not only that, if you don¡¯t stop hesitating so much, you will get hurt even more,¡± she said without any indication of halting the harshness. ¡°This one right here was just a starved one, and you will be fighting wolves much stronger than him.¡±


    ¡°Huu,¡± releasing a breath as he had heard her clearly, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but stare away solemnly, keeping to himself as the thoughts ravaged his head. ¡°I see. I guess you¡¯re right, but it¡¯s not easy for me to just stop hesitating,¡± he spoke out, making the girl attentive to his voice.


    ¡°I know, we''ve been training for half a month already. I¡¯m aware something is blocking you from doing it deep inside. And you can¡¯t remember that, right?¡± Folvana asked, without showing the sternness during their usual sessions.


    The tongue brushed past his ears immediately, the man needing a few breaths of calm to linger around him. ¡°No¡­¡± he prolonged with silence, promptly dropping his eyes at the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Though your case may be a bit more severe, I¡¯ve met plenty of people like you in my division,¡± the soft voice regained his furrowed attention, Lutiel creasing his eyebrows at the words before slightly shaking the thoughts away.


    ¡°Are you sure you can help me?¡± He asked before she slightly raised a brow. ¡°I can feel myself getting stronger from our spars, however, what is the point in you relentlessly beating me? Even if it works, I can¡¯t understand the reason,¡± the man¡¯s somewhat confused face flashed across her eyes, making her chuckle momentarily.


    Grinning as she stopped quite briskly, her pearly teeth showed. ¡°Don¡¯t you get frustrated?¡± The question suddenly immured his face. ¡°Whatever you do, I easily overcome it, doesn¡¯t it infuriate you after the same happening days on end? Especially when each of your mistakes results in a painful sensation?¡±


    Pondering on the question, he finally nodded his head. ¡°Yes. Although I didn¡¯t think anything of it at first, I was even excited to learn more about the sword, I did start to think of ways to make you feel the same,¡± he explained, staring down at his opened palms before tightening them into fists.


    ¡°It is very much a crude way to train someone, tortuous even, however, I don¡¯t think you will be able to overcome it any other way,¡± she said, but the man still kept looking down.


    ¡°Won¡¯t explaining the thing ruin it? I know why you do it now, so I won¡¯t garner such thoughts,¡± he said after finally raising his head, however, the lady simply smirked before turning to a blank mien anew.


    ¡°Really? I hope you will keep that in mind when I increase the attacks again. Do you think twice the amount should suffice?¡± She asked, to which man peered with meekly squinted eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You¡¯ve increased the pace a few times already. It¡¯s not possible for you to do it again-¡± he said briskly, only to be stopped by her tongue.


    ¡°Just because you can¡¯t doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t either. What do I have that you don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Magic,¡± uttering immediately as she asked, Lutiel fell into silence. ¡°I should have guessed earlier,¡± muttering away, he kept staring at the forest floor, only to suddenly flinch. Feeling a slight hotness garner around his ankle and left forearm, he looked at them for a moment, not seeing anything trully.


    ¡°Did you do something?¡± He asked the lady stepping closer to him.


    ¡°I cleaned the wounds. Let¡¯s get back,¡± she said whilst passing his figure already. However, the man remained there, making her stop and turn around. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going already?¡± Asking before watching her eerie looks, Lutiel also put on contorted eyebrows.


    ¡°Do you want to die or what? Have you not seen how much blood you¡¯ve lost already? We¡¯re going back to treat you,¡± she said, staring deeply into him before the man nodded his head.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lutiel mumbled, following right after the girl in the next breath.


    ¡­


    ¡°Haa, haa,¡± rough breaths fluttered through the space as the man grabbed himself by the arm, glancing down at the stream of red trickling down to his wrist. The chest heaved up and down uncontrollably, guided by the faint noises from the distance. Through a swift look ahead, the trunk dug into his back as he watched the events unfold in front of him.


    A stout man of dark complexion raised his shield faintly, easily blocking the hammer strike played out by an equally as large man with black, pebble-like dots protruding across his whole body. Feeling the strike be stifled out, Byrde swiftly pushed forward, making the demon with no horns stumble about.


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    No, the demon practically flew through the space, rolling around to the next oak before making its leaves fall down. At the same, the shield hero lowered himself, grasping the large hammer into his right hand before taking a large step forward with the left leg. Stumping down on it, his arm swung, making the weapon fly through the space while the lit mark on his hand started to dim out.


    A crashing thud reverberated through the space, the tree easily folding in on itself whilst crushing the demon stuck underneath, though, the hammer did most of the work in eviscerating his head.


    With ease of mind, his eyes fell on the next pair, on the right. Flickering within his eyes, the duo moved almost too quickly. Still, catching glimpses of the fight, he saw Daine move nimbly through the uneven, leafy terrain, bending and flowing with her body to evade the nippy slashes coming from the front.


    An orange-furred man of a shorter stature kept fuelling his attacks against the lady, however, she started to get too fast even for him. Cutting through the leather armor he had on himself, blood steadily overtook the warm shades he naturally wore, at the same time numbing his pace.


    Overwhelming him in the amount of slashes she performed with her daggers, Daine suddenly jumped forward, spinning her body whilst evading a fierce thrust.


    The dagger hero reappeared behind the furry demon, two deep grooves vehemently spurting out blood on the neck before he instantly fell down, utterly powerless.


    As for the last set of noises, the man simply stared at the tree the bow hero had her weapon pointed at. A girl with a violet face expressed her distress, trying hard to pull out the arrow that connected her black wings to the bark behind her.


    Watching as Kylli readied to release the string however, the demon pushed aside with her body, partially rending the wings. Quickly taking flight, the demon wobbled through the air, but she still managed to do it. At least, until an arrow pierced through the soft flesh coating her figure.


    Right in the middle of the chest, a metallic head protruded, blood smeared all over. Falling down, her face grazed through a tree, breaking her limbs slightly as she fell on the protruding roots.


    Finally, he watched as all three of the heroes turned towards his faltered figure, witnessing with furrowed eyebrows the constant, harsh breathing he portrayed. However, rather than them, the man stared ahead of himself, watching the blonde-haired lady with sapphire eyes watch over him with a worried glance.


    Still, she quickly calmed herself, peering down beside him, to which he followed her sights. A deep-gray shade swallowed the being that fell ahead of the man, battled by the scattered red all around the silhouette. Pooling underneath the body, the blood tainted the brown leaves.


    Riddled all across the body, countless cuts and holes filled the demon with a shattered horn atop its head. And, in the very middle of the chest, a wooden handle stood high in the air, its sharp, metallic head penetrating through the demon¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You did well,¡± said Sheila, getting his attention back. Yet, still breathing harshly, he couldn¡¯t reply immediately.


    ¡°... Thank you for that time. If not for your help earlier, he would have taken my leg off fully,¡± the man said, promptly looking down at his right thigh, on which a horrific gash parted his flesh, covered with blood all around.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m here exactly for that,¡± the saintess spoke while correcting a few strands of her hair behind the right ear. Then, with the staff in her grasp, she quickly moved forward. ¡°Let me heal you,¡± the girl added, only for a voice from behind to make her turn around.


    ¡°Are you sure? What if the priests find out?¡± Daine asked while resting her hands on the back of her head. Only for the relaxed expression around her face to abate when she witnessed Sheila¡¯s festered eyebrows.


    ¡°Are you hearing yourself? He will die in a few hours if I don¡¯t use my powers,¡± she barked out with a clenched jaw, suddenly turning back at the words grazing her back.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± the voice spoke, making Sheila immure her eyes at the man sitting near the tree. Not listening to their words in the slightest, she grasped her staff tightly, the gem on top glimmering promptly.


    Swiftly, her hand traced along his body, settling the palm around the staggering wound on his thigh. Letting it sit there for a few breaths, the man groaned suddenly, feeling the injuries retract, at the same time pulling out all of the blood before it trickled down his broken armor.


    Moving her hand up, the thigh spasmed quickly as the muscles were connected again, only a large bruise remaining on the area. However, at the expense of the man, the girl shivered abruptly, dirtying her yellow dress as she fell down on the ground beside the lying corpse.


    ¡°What did we tell you?¡± Byrde voiced out, somewhat sighing, however, the girl¡¯s wobbly knees slowly raised themselves up, adamant in her expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the priests. We¡¯re the hero¡¯s party, remember? We have to pull each other together, no matter what. Especially when the demons are all around nowadays,¡± she said, dusting off her backside lightly while watching the man before her.


    His breathing started to calm down, albeit, he still rested on the spot, trying to move as little as possible. Glancing around at the demonic corpses instead, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but clench his jaw, at the same time tightening his hands into squeaking fists. Lowering his head and closing his eyes somewhat, he let out an eased breath.


    ¡°These bastards. It¡¯s the third time they blocked our path this week. This is seriously getting out of hand,¡± he muttered whilst raising his head back at the heroes, peering especially into the saintess. ¡°We need to think of a different route if we want to kill one of their lords.¡±


    ¡°There is no other way. The other ones only result in our death,¡± the burly knight and his shield spoke back with his deep tone. ¡°You should be happy we hadn¡¯t encountered some rogue demons. I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t be as easy fighting them as these ones here,¡± he added, only for the bow hero to nod briskly.


    ¡°We all understand you joined us just a month ago, but you should have realized what sort of dangers this position holds in that time, no?¡± Daine said, making the man¡¯s lips sour slightly, frowning.


    Grunting away as he started to raise himself from the spot, his figure swiftly eased up when Sheila aided him. ¡°... I know, I know,¡± he repeated through the harsh breaths, limping while walking together with the girl''s assistance. ¡°I know very well what my role entails. I¡¯m the fake hero of the spear, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

 82. A False Hero 2

    Saying so near the end, he glanced at the heroes whilst surrounding his arm around the saintess'' shoulders.


    ¡°What?¡± Kylii spoke back instantly, all of the heroes festering bad looks. ¡°Why do you have to be like that? No, you are a true spear, no matter what others say.¡± She said, the others following her reactions. However, before they could cut in to support her, the man interrupted instead.


    ¡°I¡¯m not though, am I? I don¡¯t have anything remotely close to the mark. Hell, the only power I have helps me see more of the battlefield. What sort of advantage is that?¡± He asked, snapping out of the girl¡¯s grasp before slowly pacing off past the heroes.


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the empire¡¯s best warriors, it¡¯s the reason we chose you. Your strength is close to ours, even when we use our glyphs, Lutiel!¡± Kylli increasingly became louder, exclaiming at the end as they saw him heading towards the tents they had set up. Similarly to her, the heroes glanced away at his back.


    Yet, with awry faces, they watched as he slowed down for a moment. Turning slightly to the side, just so he could see them, his lips parted again, ¡°Even if I am, it doesn¡¯t matter. I have long since hit my ceiling. Yet you? I can see you growing every day,¡± he spoke with dejected eyes, only prolonging his stare around them before seeing their bitter expressions.


    Even Sheila, she no longer carried her mellow radiance, turning rather grudging at his words.


    With a faint sigh, he spoke yet again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m tired from fighting that bastard. Let¡¯s just make dinner already, okay?¡± He asked the party, receiving nods after a while of waiting.


    Getting closer to the man eventually as he waited for them, they slowly made their way through the sparse forest, finally arriving near the campsite where six large tents were sprawled out, all pale in contrast. Scattered out to not make it easy for the enemy, in the very middle stood a circle made of rocks.


    Immediately, it lit up as they arrived, the skies above turning into a dull murkiness. A moon visited the night, illuminating their way through the lands on top of the fire that briskly gnawed away at the wood.


    All five of them sat around the campfire, watching as the Byrde periodically rotated the pig above the harsh flames, its liquidated fats drizzling down before bursting into further blaze. Brownish in color, the animal seemed almost ready, however, when Daine tried to nibble out a piece with her dagger, the man¡¯s deep glare prompted her to step back suddenly.


    ¡°Sorry, okay? I didn¡¯t think it would take so long,¡± the girl said, only for her eyes to gleam out as he shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Use a clean knife, not the one you use for killing demons,¡± he said, only for the girl to suddenly freeze in place. She quickly moved her free hand, scratching her head with an abashed look.


    ¡°Right, sorry, hehe,¡± she giggled, following the rest of her companions in taking parts of the pig. Cutting away the whole leg for herself, she stared it down with voracious eyes, licking her lips before sinking the teeth in the roasted skin.


    Cutting through the cooked flesh, she pulled the leg away from herself, at the same time tearing the fatty skin apart, left in her mouth before she closed her eyes. ¡°Mhm,¡± groaning in satisfaction whilst chewing on the piece, the dagger hero couldn¡¯t help but take another bite, even before she had finished the first.


    Unlike her beastly ways, the others slowly enjoyed the meat, in small pieces at a time, as well as on round pieces of bread they took directly from the hot coals. Cracking them open, steam began to escape from the middle. Swiftly catching the pig¡¯s juices with the crumb, they began quickly eating the pig, Lutiel seeing as half of it disappeared within a moment.


    He no longer ate, simply sitting by the campfire to warm himself through the night, the other heroes and the saintess following his approach, at the same time conversing with each other.


    ¡°How are you liking it so far?¡± Kylli suddenly asked, a smile sprawled across her face as she looked ahead at his face. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s better than being tied down to the Empire,¡± the girl added quickly, making him chuckle slightly.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± he hummed whilst nodding. ¡°Fighting against the demons on the front lines every day makes life seem a bit dreary, even if it¡¯s with the weakest ones.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you like being on the verge of death more? Being a hero isn¡¯t any easier.¡± She turned into a skewed grin, perplexed somewhat.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied swiftly with a shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯m not stuck on the battlefield here. I can at least walk around the world with you guys,¡± his soft voice nestled in the ears of them all, the party¡¯s gaze lingering on him before Sheila finally struck with her own words.


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    ¡°That¡¯s good. I hated it when the church gave you off to the Emperor, only to be used as a war tool for five years straight. We couldn¡¯t see each other even once,¡± she said, clutching her hands against her skirt whilst looking down at the crackling fire.


    Glancing at the girl for a while, his face contorted faintly, emerging a sorrowful expression. ¡°I had to, regardless. The demons would overtake the kingdoms otherwise,¡± the man spoke quietly, settling solemnity across the heroes.


    ¡°You did what you were supposed to, Lutiel. You should be proud of that. However, you have a different priority to uphold now, even if the goal is the same in the end,¡± with a large mug of foamy beer in his right hand, Byrde spoke up.


    As the hero attained the man¡¯s attention swiftly, he simply continued. ¡°We have to hinder their strengths by killing the weakest of their leaders, which is none other than Magon. One by one, we will eradicate the demons steadily until they¡¯re all gone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daine added to his words briskly, raising a cup of her own towards the fire before the others followed on, except for the saintess, who wasn¡¯t drinking. ¡°To humanity¡¯s rest,¡± she said loudly, her words repeated quickly.


    ¡°To humanity¡¯s rest,¡± all of the heroes exclaimed, including the saintess, right before they drank their woes away.


    Slowly, Lutiel staggered through his steps as they had descended deep into the night. No longer had the campfire lightened their way forward, only the moon easing his path. Staring ahead of him through the hazy vision, he parted his tent¡¯s entrance, vehemently falling down onto the cloth on the floor. Lying on his stomach whilst closing his eyes, the man easily parted off into the distant dreams.


    Lingering around in the darkness however, his eyes opened abruptly, searching frantically through the murky space whilst hearing the agonal screams. How eyebrows furrowed after quickly dressing up into his leather armor. Putting on the metal plates recklessly, Lutiel swiftly grabbed his spear before running outside of the tent, his jaw clenched firmly.


    Albeit, any of his actions stopped immediately. Glancing ahead of himself, scattering his sight through the sparse branches around the forest, he watched the dull skies take on a red hue, the moon itself turning bloody red.


    The hellish scape of strident screams reverberated through his ears, his head barely not splitting apart. Nevertheless, despite standing still for a moment, it was brief. A quick glance around told him all he needed to understand. Not one other hero was in the camp, so he quickly started running, delving into the sounds more and more before finally escaping the forest.


    A flat plain of dark red uncovered its shadows, making the man witness its horrors. The heroes kept on fighting through the demonic flesh, standing in the middle of hundreds of enemies.


    The corpses kept piling on, but the demons never seemed to end. Although his eyes quivered at the sight, Lutiel briskly clenched his jaw tight, firmly grasping the spear in his right hand before running off towards his team.


    Without any words, the first set of demons eased off from the heroes, parting to target the incoming man. Yet, just as they got into his range, the spear shattered the winds apart, cutting through their necks before leaving heads to roll through the dirt.


    With fully opened eyes, Lutiel¡¯s gaze scattered through the next demons running straight at him, peering at them with barely any emotions. His spear slashed through the space once again, cutting down the necks of the monsters before getting closer to his team.


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± He screamed after a few minutes, watching as the blood started to scatter through the fields, tainting the grass and bare soil crimson.


    Despite his words however, the heroes simply nodded in acknowledgement, fighting on through the slowly dissipating number of demons.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± groaning as he slowly walked through the corpses, Lutiel¡¯s body became scattered with small wounds, however, he released a calm breath after seeing the sparse appearance of creatures around them.


    Of course, some still run at him, but not nearly in the same amount. Thrusting ahead of him, he swiftly jerked the spear away from the head of a demon he had just killed.


    His eyes kept at the way ahead of him, glancing at a certain girl standing by with her gleaming staff. Battling through the red fog with her sapphire gem, Sheila suddenly turned to her left, her eyes widening into a light smile as she watched Lutiel step closer.


    ¡°Are you okay? You can rest now, you know? Eh?¡± Her voice trailed off near the end, watching Lutiel¡¯s shaking eyes before glancing down at the spear he had embedded into her stomach.


    Suddenly, the man peered into what he had just done, his eyes widening before the face froze over completely. ¡°Huh?¡± He muttered elusively, quickly talking to the girl. ¡°Sheila! I didn¡¯t do it, please believe me! I couldn¡¯t move!¡± He tried to persuade the saintess, however, the quivering lips of hers only made him stop, watching as blood started to drip down from them towards the ground.


    Yet, as her lips parted, no voice came out, stifled out as his eyelids finally opened up. Staring at the pale ceiling ahead of him, he could only witness its murky embrace. The chest heaved uncontrollably, his nose releasing harsh sounds to accompany his quick heart.


    Glistening all around, the droplets gathered on his forehead swiftly traveled down, only to be caught by his hairs. Not abating in the slightest, Lutiel¡¯s breath had overtaken the room wholly, any of the bed¡¯s rustles drowning away under the quick respires.


    The somewhat bloodshot eyes didn¡¯t want to part away from the ceiling, for countless of his fast breaths. Only beginning to look around as his chest finally eased up, the man still didn¡¯t move away from the duvet. ¡®You¡¯re telling me she¡¯s still alive? And that she made all of you hate me? How can I believe that? I don¡¯t understand,¡¯ he muttered in his head softly.

 83. Thirst And Hunger 1

    Tens of breaths later, he finally took his bedding off, despite it being deep into the night. ¡®I need to drink something,¡¯ he thought, caressing his fingers through the moistened hair. At the same time, as he slowly moved up to sit on the bed¡¯s edge, he looked down at himself. Other than the underwear and the bandaged wounds, he was bare throughout.


    Both the left forearm, as well as the left ankle, were wrapped thoroughly, using some cloth, already tainted with faint spots of his blood.


    Slowly raising his body, he couldn¡¯t help but grimace at the sharp pain scattering through him. Although nowhere near close to when he battled the wolf, it was uncomfortable nonetheless.


    Walking through the room without limping too much, he quickly got to his wardrobe, promptly pulling out his usual clothes instead of the nightwear. ¡®Did I lose too much blood? I can only recall going back with Folvana before passing out,¡¯ thinking before clutching himself by the forehead, the snapping headache made him stop before simply dressing up.


    The skies flew gingerly as he slowly readied his appearance, finally stopping for a bit after getting dressed. Listening to the calmness surrounding him, he closed his eyes for a few breaths.


    Regardless, Lutiel eventually broke away from the stupor plaguing him, glancing at his room¡¯s door instead. Within a few steady steps, his palm engulfed the handle, inviting his sight to the dark corridors.


    Going through the dull shroud, he didn¡¯t think twice along his path, continuing on through the floor with his shoes on. Finally, he entered the parts that were lightly illuminated. The doors of the kitchen engraved themselves within his mind, at the same time listening to something inside rustle about.


    Before long, he swiftly opened the doors, watching as the familiar figure worked her hands around the iron pans. Standing in her maid uniform, Raeyine suddenly glanced to the right, squinting her eyes before widening them as she saw the man¡¯s face.


    Quickly getting rid of the wooden spoon stuck in her mouth, she tossed it to the sink. Then, the girl fully turned around to face the man, her image striking out to him.


    Despite the smile on her face, he watched through her sunken eyes. Each time he visited for her healing, the dark bags underneath them only seemed to intensify. A few streaks also popped around the scleras, the girl clearly veiling her exhaustion.


    Regardless, she swiftly lightened up after seeing his face. ¡°You woke up already? I was sure you would sleep for a full day,¡± the girl parted her lips briskly, asking as the man stood in the doorway frozen. ¡°Come inside already, I have some for you as well,¡± she added, making him take a deeper sniff of the kitchen.


    Furrowing his eyebrows, he suddenly locked eyes with her. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± Sniffing a second time, he asked.


    Smiling after seeing his intrigued reactions, she swiftly opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s salmon. Although it¡¯s still cooking in the oven, it''s not going to take too long to finish.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± muttering whilst gazing into the lady, he promptly stepped inside, closing the door after himself before following with his tongue. ¡°Thank you, again. Especially for healing me.¡±


    His voice swiftly brushed the girl¡¯s already turned shoulders. Busy roasting the potatoes in the pan, she didn¡¯t move much as a reply came immediately. ¡°I said it before, it¡¯s fine. You¡¯re growing faster with my help and that¡¯s enough for me.¡±


    Sitting down on the chair he pulled out from the table, Lutiel kept staring as the girl stirred through the pan, as well as the pot full of boiling water.


    Attentive around the stove, she promptly put her utensils down before moving to the side and opening the oven doors. Glancing through the escaping steam however, she promptly closed them and came back to the small potatoes.


    Slowly, his sight descended towards her arms, keeping track of their movements as images played out in his head. Lowering his head to watch the injured forearm supported by the table, he couldn¡¯t help but recall every time she used her powers on him.


    ¡°Raeyine,¡± he called out suddenly, briskly catching her focus.


    ¡°Yea? What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, albeit still not turning around. Constantly tossing the potatoes around in the butter and herbs, she perked her ears through the round hair. Yet, her arms stopped vehemently at his words, the figure similar.


    ¡°Can you teach me about magic?¡± the man asked, settling a calm peace through the space, interrupted periodically by the sizzling and bubbling of the water.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I already have too much to handle. My duties would fall behind if I added something else on top of it all.¡± Her voice swiftly made his face stagger, nippily resuming her work.


    However, Lutiel didn¡¯t turn discouraged. Rather, his face standing upright, he pushed forward. ¡°What if I pay you?¡± He asked suddenly, making a chuckle burst out from her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any use for money other than food, you know? Or do you have something else in mind?¡± Keeping her giggles afloat, the girl kept stirring.


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    Yet, she stopped once again, in a similar fashion to before. ¡°What about energy regulation?¡± The man voiced out, making her drop the wood before turning at him with widened eyes.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The girl muttered out immediately, confusion plastered all over her. ¡°Who told you about that?¡± She pried swiftly, but he became leisurely in his responses.


    Glancing all over the puzzled looks around her face, he calmly rested his back on the chair. ¡°Zyponia.¡± He said, waiting in the silence for a bit before continuing. ¡°Every time I visit you, I feel a bit weaker, so you must take more energy than you spend, no? Do you want me to help you?¡±


    ¡°Wh-wha?¡± She stuttered at his verbal nudges, only to shut herself completely after seeing his mostly still face. The man stared deeply into her, prompting the lady to suddenly turn her eyes to the side. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She asked the next instance, furrowing her eyebrows.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an exchange of services,¡± he said calmly, the girl slowly turning her head back at him. Somewhat abashed, her lips fidgeted. ¡°You teach me about magic whilst I help you keep your energy at bay. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fair?¡±


    However, the girl suddenly chuckled. ¡°Haha, and I thought I had inappropriate humor. This isn¡¯t time to be joking around like that, Lutiel,¡± she said with a haggard voice, slowly turning back to the stove.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, though,¡± he muttered right after. ¡°I want to know more about magic. And I also don¡¯t want to keep using your magic so freely.¡±


    Once again, Raeyine stopped in her motions, having turned just barely. So, she glanced at him one more time, changing back and forth between the floor and the man. ¡°No, no, we can¡¯t do it, how could I face her tomorrow?¡± She asked with wide eyes, palming each cheek of her face. However, despite the clear consternation, she couldn¡¯t stop glancing at the collared butler.


    Lingering the gaze around his crotch, the girl opened her mouth before staying like that for a few moments, entirely silent. Finally, watching as the pants started becoming taut around the buttons, she traveled up at his face.


    ¡°Will you not tell her?¡± She asked suddenly, putting on an indifferent face to stare him down.


    ¡°Only if she doesn¡¯t ask me,¡± he replied swiftly, making her thumb trace along the bottom lip for a brief breath. Biting down on the tip of her finger, Raeyine closed her eyes momentarily.


    And, as he finally witnessed the amber eyes again, the man watched her start to walk closer to him, still sitting on the chair.


    Yet, coming just a step away from him, the maid with her glasses stopped, correcting them slightly before glancing down. ¡°This is nothing but pure barter, alright? Don¡¯t expect anything else when we see each other in the mansion,¡± she said decisively, slowly descending to place herself on the kitchen tiles.


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t think more of it,¡± he sparked back immediately, the voice effortlessly reaching the lady kneeling on the floor through her uniform.


    Finally, she broke away from his sight, briskly flowing down to the bulging spot around the crotch. Yet, as she placed her long, sleek fingers around the round, firm fabric, she couldn¡¯t move under his voice.


    ¡°Will the food not burn?¡± He asked, but the girl didn¡¯t glance up at him. Keeping her eyes on the area whilst shaking her head, she replied confidently.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve turned the fires down already. We have some time before it¡¯s ready-,¡± the girl started speaking, only to be swiftly overtaken by his roughened breath. Already massaging the bulge through the fabric, she didn¡¯t speak anymore, simply engulfing her focus around the thing.


    Kneading the firm, yet soft area, it didn¡¯t stay that way for long however, swiftly tightening up to leave her eyes widened. Pulsing her finger around it, the girl couldn¡¯t help but stare at his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s as hard as a broomstick. Am I that exciting to you?¡±


    Asking away with a faint smirk around her face, she kept scouring for the answer, swiftly getting it from the man¡¯s tongue. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you be?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get any sort of reaction when you first came here,¡± she said, constantly playing her fingers around his hidden shaft.


    ¡°A lot has changed since that time. I was too disorientated to think about these things then,¡± he replied spryly, only for the girl¡¯s eyes to peer deeper through him.


    ¡°I told you already. This is only barter,¡± she said whilst squinting her eyes. However, moving her finger closer to the buttons of his pants, Raeyine eased the looks. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t share your curiosity.¡±


    The man suddenly creased his eyebrows, watching as the girl slowly unbuttoned his pants. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked, but the head maid didn¡¯t speak up from the get go.


    Rather, she steadied her hands around his hips, unbuttoning the pants fully before prying her fingers beneath his underclothing. The man assisted her by raising himself slowly, only for Raeyine to frighten her eyes after witnessing the veiny, standing erection displaying itself fully before her.


    Despite the shadows lingering through the night, she stared in wonder, slowly reaching for his cock the length of her face and more.


    Finally, as she didn¡¯t hesitate to bring her mouth over to the round glans, the tip of her tongue slowly grazed the underside before her nose dug through the musky flesh. ¡°Haa,¡± breathing out as she sniffed the faint allure, the girl added on. ¡°Do you remember when you caught me in the washroom?¡±


    The sudden question swiftly overwrote the man¡¯s tight breaths, widening his eyes somewhat as he recalled the event. ¡°That was you?¡± He asked abruptly, while the girl steadily left her saliva all over the tip.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she hummed in affirmation. ¡°I was masturbating while thinking of you, but I wouldn¡¯t have thought it would be of this size. I shouldn¡¯t have doubted the lady,¡± she muttered near the end, to which the man furrowed his eyebrows.


    However, his voice couldn¡¯t reach her, both because of the statement still lingering in his head, as well as the girl assaulting his tip with her warm tongue. His rod only twitched harsher under her care.


    Brushing her tongue over the frenulum, the girl tilted her face, nibbling on the plump side of the glans with her mouth. Circling her slippery, pink flesh around the tip, she slowly went over to the other side, similarly sucking on the glans with her gray lips.


    ¡°Angh, ghaa,¡± the man released heightened breaths under her steady moves, only increasing his fidgeting as the girl grabbed his shaft with both hands while garnering her mouth over the top. Putting all of the tip inside her mouth, she sucked and rubbed on the glans with her lips, making Lutiel put his right forearm over his head and glance at the dark ceiling.

 84. Thirst And Hunger 2

    ¡°Ah, fuck,¡± he muttered silently, feeling the girl start rocking her head up and down whilst stroking around the base of his moistened shaft. Slurping sounds drowned out the noises coming from the pans, engulfing the space whole.


    The shadowy figures continued regardless of the cooking, Raeyine sucking on his dick and making him practically squirm in pleasure. Finally, as his chest heaved, the girl pulled her mouth off of him, only to lick along the shaft¡¯s side, jerking below the glans with her left hand.


    ¡°Does it feel good?¡± She asked despite her busy tongue, the man nodding straight away. Keeping his eyes up, he spoke with closed eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s great,¡± he said, the girl raising the edges of her lips slightly before increasing the stroking.


    ¡°Is it better than those two?¡± Raeyine pried away at him, staring into his raised jaw patiently.


    ¡°... Yeah,¡± after a prolonged silence, he finally uttered, making the girl smile coyly as she pulled away. Taking her hands off the shaft, she put them around his thighs before opening her mouth wide. Her cheeks swiftly became full after taking around half of him, quickly pulling back before descending down again in rapid succession.


    Grunting deeply as she left her spit thoroughly around the erection, practically sucking juices out of him, the sounds became harsher and sloppier, only adding arousement to their already sultry breaths.


    At the same time moving slightly to the side, it felt to the man as though the girl activated every sensitive part around his cock, his muscles unable to hold it for much longer than the tens of breaths she kept going on.


    Moving up and down close to the speeds of his heart, the lady didn¡¯t abate in the slightest, even after feeling his thighs tighten and seeing his abdomen clench up. The erection twitched similarly, pulsating around her lips.


    ¡°Argh, ahhhh!¡± he suddenly exclaimed, breathing out deeply before grabbing on the sides of the wooden seat underneath him. At the same time, the girl finally stopped her vehement motions, moving further up after feeling the warm spurt going right from his tip.


    Still keeping his glans inside her mouth, Raeyine closed her eyes as the semen gathered inside the bottom of her mouth, the man¡¯s clock steadily stopping its twitching.


    Finally, as it halted the ejaculation fully and lessened slightly, the girl pulled her mouth away. Seeing as Lutiel watched with a ragged breath, the maid briskly opened her mouth, letting him witness how much of his seed she had gathered around the tongue. Immediately, seeing his erection stand up strongly, even fiercer than before, the girl closed her mouth before gulping the substance down.


    At the same time, his cock fueled up further, making the girl smile as she traced her tongue along the lips. Licking away all of the remaining cum, she quickly grabbed his erection, licking the smudges of cum remaining on the urethra before glancing up at him. ¡°Why is your cum so good too? Ahh!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask, only to yelp away as the man suddenly raised himself, skimming the girl¡¯s face with his cock lightly.


    Though, her voice fell out only as he lowered himself and brought the lady up into his embrace. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked softly, feeling his arms around her back and thighs, the girl scooped up easily.


    However, he didn¡¯t speak in the slightest. Rather, he pushed the things on the table towards the wall, promptly laying the girl down. ¡°Ahh,¡± she released a deeper breath after catching a glimpse of his actions, but she didn¡¯t reject the approach.


    So, Lutiel raised her legs, letting the uniform fall down whilst revealing her slim, gray legs at the same time. Tracing his hands along the smooth surface of her round calves and briskly reaching for the thighs, Lutiel quickly stared at the shadows entwined around the ample butt he could feel with his hands.


    Despite being unable to see through the night, he moved the fingers. From lightly touching the buttcheeks, he finally got to the fabric covering her secretive area.


    ¡°Hngh,¡± she muttered silently as two of his fingers slowly caressed the wetness gathered around her panties. Slowly, he brushed the soaking material, locking gazes with the lady whilst tipping the underwear over unhurriedly and revealing her lower lips.


    With a steady touch, Lutiel fondled the folds, starting to part her entrance with the two fingers pressed against one another. Through enough strength, his palm finally met against the skin and panties, all while the fingers hooked themselves against the internal walls of her pussy.


    ¡°Mhmmm,¡± Raeyine whimpered immediately, her breath turning hasty as she watched him between her raised legs. ¡°Oooh,¡± she released a breath later, feeling him start to move his fingers around.


    The soft groans of the lady stimulated him further, keeping his erection ever so tight whilst rummaging through her entrance that tried to squash his fingers. Any time he tried something, her walls simply reciprocated by tightening up.


    However, he still plashed his right hand against the flowing juices, assaulting her upper area beneath the somewhat quiet, yet clearly pleasured figure. Pressing against the point that gave her breathing the hardest time, his fingers moved in and out briskly, strings of a clear substance forming and dripping each time he separated from her.


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    And, just as her mouth started to whisper out a moan, Lutiel finally took the fingers away, leaving the lady to glance at him. Grasping on both ends of the panties, he swiftly raised and took them off her.


    Quickly, underneath her widened eyes, Lutiel moved his mouth to embrace the shadows, promptly hearing her muffled moans after rolling his tongue around the folds, as well as sucking around the top of her vulva.


    The girl struggled playfully, fidgeting between his grasp, however, she controlled herself not to flinch out fully at the man¡¯s face. Lightly keeping his head between her thighs, Raeyine raised the torso before supporting herself with the left arm, the other lying on the man¡¯s white head.


    ¡°Ngnh~,¡± she whispered out momentarily after he flicked the clit with his tongue a couple of times. Staying at the same pace constantly, the girl omitted closing her mouth, hearing how many racy breaths she had released already.


    ¡°Ahngh! You¡¯re not letting me breathe properly,¡± the girl complained, but the sweet moan she released told him another story. ¡°Don¡¯t stop. Eat my pussy, please,¡± her voice befell onto the man¡¯s veiled face, only for him to descend lower and pervade his tongue through the entrance. Grazing it from the bottom along to the top swiftly, he promptly returned solely to the top.


    Then, his right hand left the thigh it surrounded, slowly venturing towards the wet folds before two of his fingers started to scrape along the warm and soft flesh.


    ¡°AH! Ahhh, Haaaa,¡± her voice finally gave way, starting to moan indiscreetly. No longer letting out the pleasurable breaths, Raeyine pushed his face deeper into her vagina, closing her eyes before raising the steamy glasses to the ceiling. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m coming~~¡± she didn¡¯t let her voice end near the end, prolonging the sentence whilst making his nose dig through the dark hairs around her pussy.


    Feeling the sensation deep in her stomach, it started to convulse, making the girl¡¯s limbs shiver unutterably. Constantly moaning as she came, no liquid came out however, something breaking the expectation around Lutiel¡¯s face.


    After a few breaths, he finally stood up, smearing his sticky face away before watching as the girl fell down to her back. The breasts tucked underneath the uniform heaved up and down, her amber eyes wide open as she kept staring at the ceiling through the roughened breath.


    ¡°What was that?¡± She asked in between the gasps for air. ¡°Do you do that to Zyponia every night?¡± Despite the second question coming, Lutiel still hadn¡¯t answered either, simply lowering himself down to her hips before sprawling out his cock along her pussy and the uniform.


    Finally, she looked back down at his ploys, changing glances between his face and the erection. ¡°Fuck me,¡± adding swiftly, the man didn¡¯t need further probing.


    The tip already started to smear the folds, parting them as he rubbed the entrance back and forth. Moaning lightly at the still sensitive parts, she opened her mouth wide however, gasping for air as he suddenly thrust the glans inside.


    With a quick pierce, almost all of his length was enveloped by the loose walls, only to grunt as he felt her tighten up right after. ¡°Ugh,¡± he released his breath, standing still as though he couldn¡¯t move in the slightest.


    Slowly however, he started to pull back, scraping the surrounding walls with the tip of his penis before once again pushing forward, even deeper than before.


    With just two thrusts, the lady had already adjusted to his size, her womb nestling around his tip with faint suction. Each time he pulled, the man clenched his jaw, feeling as though he would take her together with him.


    Starting to speed up, he feared the table would go off from the creaking it released, however, Raeyine¡¯s mouth briskly parted, easing the worries. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, just ravage your cock through me,¡± she whispered out, but the words fell directly around his ears, making him involuntarily speed up.


    Wrapping his wrists around her thighs, the man pounded his hips against her faintly revealed backside, chipping away at her breathing. ¡°Ugh, haaa!¡± Yet, grunting more and more as she practically enveloped his dick with barely any space in between, the man released a final push into her before similarly gasping for air.


    Standing there, fidgeting somewhat as he orgasmed just a minute or so into their session, the man couldn¡¯t help but furrow his eyebrows as the girl started speaking. ¡°Fuu. Alright, that was nice. But the food should be ready now.¡±


    Saying so with a beat breath, she started to raise her torso, his dick still inside her. Though, the man briskly stopped her from pulling it out. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked softly, staring at Lutiel with creased brows.


    ¡°Why are we stopping already? You haven¡¯t come properly,¡± he said, deepening the puzzle around her.


    ¡°I have, you made me orgasm with your tongue,¡± she spoke back, swiftly leaving his face with confusion sprawled all over.


    ¡°No, I meant you haven¡¯t come from actual sex,¡± his voice swiftly entwined with her ears, only for the girl to chuckle away as she began pulling his still erect cock out.


    ¡°You¡¯re a sweetie, Lutiel, but I have a hard time feeling it during intercourse,¡± Raeyine said, slowly reaching the floor with her knees before facing his smeared with cum penis. ¡°I was actually astonished when you even managed to make me orgasm with your tongue. I guess you should be proud of yourself for that,¡± she smiled near the end, promptly covering her mouth around his and making him shut up with a sharp puff of air.


    Still, he managed to break free from the sensations, parting his lips away. ¡°But, won¡¯t that disrupt the energy regulation?¡± He asked briskly, making her pull his thing out of her mouth before staring up into his eyes.


    ¡°Not really. Although you release the most during an orgasm, just doing it with one another exchanges energies. I¡¯m perfectly satisfied with these results, so, thank you,¡± she said, promptly cleaning his member away, leaving no spot of the white substance behind.


    Yet, following further, she spent a few more minutes sucking on the thing, despite the food being ready. She simply placed the man on the chair before engulfing her mouth fully in the sperm once more.


    Watching her swallow his load once more, the man¡¯s shaft reverberated tightly, standing as firm as ever.


    The girl¡¯s brows raised as she kept her views around, she promptly traced her fingers along the thing, watching it abate docilely.

 85. A Faint Answer

    Similarly, Lutiel¡¯s breaths went back to a steady pace, the man unable to contain his curiosity. ¡°Was that magic?¡± He asked swiftly, watching her pull the already dried panties back on herself.


    The girl smiled after standing upright, correcting her glasses a bit before finally locking eyes with him. ¡°It was. I made the blood inside your cock retract. You should feel less excited already, no?¡±


    Nodding at the words, she swiftly omitted his face, turning back towards the oven doors before opening them right after. ¡°Tell me, what do you want to know about magic?¡± Adding whilst grasping the glass from inside with bare hands, she put the ready fish on the sink before keeping her attention on the pans.


    ¡°The basics. I¡¯m not sure if I will ever be able to use it, but I still want to understand it,¡± he said after a brief ponder, making the girl agree faintly whilst filling out two plates.


    ¡°Well, who knows? Like you said, it¡¯s better to know even if you won¡¯t be able to use it.¡± Shutting her lips as she finally turned around, with two plates in hands, Raeyine put them on the table, having already restored it to its pristine condition.


    ¡°However, how about we start from tomorrow? It¡¯s a bit late already, and I still need to train on my own,¡± she said, prompting him to nod briskly.


    ¡°I have no issues with that,¡± he said, quickly grasping onto the silverware she had placed near him before glancing at the hefty piece of pale orange meat, browned along the top with two slices of a lemon and herbs sprinkled around.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal,¡± he added, promptly digging into the meal.


    ¡­


    The blade fell ahead of itself, shaking vehemently as it met a sturdy wall in the form of a wooden sword. Stopping his offense in a facile manner, Folvana pried it to the side through a slash of her own, moving nimbly while targeting his figure.


    Yet, the man and his clenched jaw quickly brought the sword back, blocking the attack. Skidding through the grass ever so lightly, soil revealed itself, however, he was able to stop it. At the same time, a new slash came out from his arms, loosening the girl¡¯s grip.


    Stepping forward quickly, he thrust the tip straight at her face, for it to simply part her red hairs, the girl dodging effortlessly.


    The head of the man lowered itself faintly, seeing a foot travelling right to where his ribs were placed. ¡°Haa,¡± Lutiel spat out, raising the right knee to block the kick before placing the sword horizontally and ahead of himself.


    Right after the physical attack, her sword fell towards the middle of his head, ringing soundly as it met with the shining metal. Gritting his teeth and tightening his footing, Lutiel slashed upwards before disrupting the girl¡¯s stance completely.


    With arms up in the air, Folvana quickly tried to move them down, however, Lutiel¡¯s purple eyes screamed to her. His blade¡¯s tip traveled all the way towards her pinkish skin, arriving right before the neck. Yet, just a whisker away from her skin, the sharp cusp hesitated, simply staying there as he looked at her solemnly.


    ¡°Are you not going to wound me?¡± The girl asked, her arms remaining in the air.


    ¡°There is no reason to inflict meaningless pain, no?¡± He asked swiftly, beginning to retract his weapon. Though, his eyes widened a breath later.


    ¡°Wrong,¡± she said, delivering a nippy kick to his stomach and making him fall down to the grass, lying on his back. Before he could even feel the pain, she was already sitting on top of him, her weapon pointing its dull shades right in the center of his brows.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± the man groaned whilst glancing up. Turning to the eyes however, Lutiel only saw her amused smirk stand out.


    ¡°No pain is meaningless, mind you,¡± she said, slowly getting up from the position. ¡°Stand up, we¡¯re continuing. You have too little injuries on yourself,¡± the mutter easily went over to his ears, making him sour up somewhat, but he quickly did as she said.


    Yet, still he hadn¡¯t put on a stance once his shoes mingled with the verdant blades. Rather, he stared at the lady¡¯s image, ruminating on it for a while.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Were you not using magic to enhance your strikes?¡± Disrupting the winds, his question made little changes around the lady¡¯s face.


    ¡°Maybe?¡± She said, plain eyes glancing into him before he simply shook his head after a sigh. Seeing his reaction however, Folvana painted a faint smirk. ¡°Did you enjoy the feeling of victory? Even if it dissipated right away?¡± Asking suddenly, his position turned awry, the face ruminating speedily.


    Seeing his lips part away however, Folvana¡¯s image lurched forward. Appearing right before him with a single, strong step, she made his teeth grit tightly.


    Looking at the sword coming at him from above, Lutiel¡¯s body moved desperately into a faulty stance. The arms near his hips swiftly turned in an arch, making the dummy weapon fall upon the flat part of the blade.


    A groan crawled out of him immediately, feeling the brunt wholeheartedly. Pressing down on the man as if a boulder hit about, her student could only grind his teeth harsher whilst feeling his arms give into her prowess.


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    Tipping the blade over, her blunt sword slid down its edges before gaining freedom. Folvana slashed towards the sky right as she escaped, allowing no maneuver of his to blossom out.


    Shackled on top of the hill, a dangerous sight headed straight at his head before leaving a somewhat deep gash around his right cheek.


    ¡°A first strike to the face after a full ten minutes. You¡¯re getting good. Though only at defense. I¡¯m still perfectly fine,¡± she played her tongue through the winds, however, the man could only stare at the grass before raising his head again.


    Despite the crimson fluids coming from his face, Lutiel no longer lost sight of the girl. Rather, he was already in position to slash or pierce through her face, his hands raised above the shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s a nice look, but it won¡¯t do anything to me, will it?¡± Adding whilst her own figure descended into a pose, the images flashed through his corneas.


    The girl rushed across the space anew, an eyebrow raising itself in the meantime. Covering half of their distance, the man¡¯s feet sprung into action. Resuming a straight face, she swiftly stopped her slash, turning back to keep the sword beside her thighs.


    Only starting to attack once the two met a step away from each other, she still looked dubiously at her student. Yet, her mien turned subtly after he attacked first.


    The weapons stopped the movement of each other, but Lutiel¡¯s sword had definitely come closer to her body, making Folvana put on a mellow smirk as they stared into the other¡¯s eyes. Kept in a standstill for a few breaths, she wouldn¡¯t break their locked gazes, not moving her figure in the slightest.


    ¡°Are you finally giving up? Just injure me, Raeyine will easily heal it,¡± she said softly, almost whispering. However, an opposite reaction came instead. Furrowing his eyebrows, Lutiel suddenly faltered.


    Not hesitant at all, Folvana came in with the sword, piercing through his right shoulder before he staggered back, grunting painfully and catching the wound with his left hand.


    ¡°Haa,¡± a deep breath left his nose, promptly changing his glance between the bloodied palm and the ready girl. ¡°You¡­ really¡­ haa,¡± muttering under his breath, Lutiel sighed before once again readying himself.


    ¡®Why can¡¯t I just hit her? Damn it!¡¯ He cursed through his mind, just to stop as she moved again already. Starting to run like prior, she was the first to slash at him this time.


    Watching the sword come from the side, Lutiel slashed from above, meeting the in the same way as before.


    ¡°Are you scared of hitting me? Do you hate the smell of blood? Or the feeling of piercing through someone?¡± She kept nagging him, but the man made sure not to fall for her words.


    Alas, Lutiel simply couldn¡¯t do it.


    Before he knew it, he was already lying on the ground, his figure sprawling through the grasses whilst a faint, hollow point appeared in the middle of his forehead, from which a streak of blood flowed down.


    Breathing out harshly as he laid there beat up, he glanced up to the side suddenly. Despite the murky skies, her figure still cast a shadow over him. Descending slowly, she lowered her thighs closer to the calves, though the girl didn¡¯t wet her bottom through the grass unlike the man.


    ¡°I think I know your problem,¡± she said suddenly, stretching her hand out closer to his forehead before hovering her palm over the wound. Immediately, his face scrunched up, however, the wound no longer spilled out blood, a coagulated layer covering it on the surface.


    Letting the answer settle within him for a while, Lutiel scoured through the space, arriving at her golden eyes glancing directly at her disciple. ¡°Really?¡± He asked, only for the girl to share his reactions.


    Silence sprawled through her as the hair swayed lightly, watching ahead with an indifferent expression. ¡°You¡¯re scared of hurting another being, but more importantly, you think that just the slightest touch of yours will make them die,¡± she said, only to witness him furrow his eyebrows.


    ¡°What? But, I¡­¡± He started speaking, only to simmer down as he fell into his own head. ¡®No, I almost killed Randall because I didn¡¯t think properly at that time. The twins, I had no problem with them because I still treated demons as evil. It all spiraled out of control before the ball,¡¯ he mused, keeping the girl in silence as he stared away at the gray clouds.


    ¡°What you¡¯re fearing is natural. A sword is a sharpened metal. It¡¯s easy to kill people with it, however, only if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing,¡± she swiftly explained, resting her forearms on her knees whilst leaning over him. ¡°Still, I still think you¡¯re at an abnormal level of that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± He asked suddenly, turning back at her eyes.


    After a moment of silence, she finally spoke. ¡°Because you¡¯re actually capable of that. You were able to cut through the wolf as though it was lard. You know it subconsciously, which is why you start hesitating at the slightest thought of landing a blow. Still, that doesn¡¯t exclude the possibility of you simply not wanting to kill.¡±


    ¡°Ahh,¡± Lutiel muttered, leaving his mouth open faintly whilst staring at the golden gleam around her. ¡°What can I do, then?¡±


    Staring into him as his question reverberated inside her ears, Folvana put on a somewhat amused face. ¡°Get beaten up,¡± she said with a forced smile, closing her eyes before Lutiel could only sigh again.


    Promptly, the girl stood up, taking a free hand and grasping his fallen body. ¡°Stand up before I start attacking,¡± she uttered, making him groan meekly whilst pulling the man up.


    Eventually, he stood against the hill, readying himself with the sword before glancing deep into the girl.


    She ran at him immediately, making him grip the sword tighter. Yet, as she appeared a few steps away from him, her figure flickered, overlapping with a certain girl as the weapon in his hands headed for her. Quickly, he dropped it to the ground, falling down on his knees before the stomach churned its way out of his mouth.


    With the same, stern face, Folvana¡¯s sight trickled down towards the man. With a deep breath, she simply let him do the deed. And, as he finally cleared his mouth away, the girl resting the wood along her shoulders finally spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s end for today. Yesterday¡¯s events are clearly lingering in your mind.¡±


    Not waiting any longer, she promptly turned around, in the mansion¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he said suddenly, making her stop just a few steps later. Turning around abruptly, she stared at his solemn expression, listening intently to the words. ¡°I want to keep going.¡±


    Not doubting the gravitas of the man, Folvana turned around fully. Without waiting any longer, she put on her stance, Lutiel following her approach. ¡°I¡¯m gonna ease the attacks because of your state,¡± her voice briskly traced through his ears.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered softly, firming his grip on the sword¡¯s hilt.


    Spryly, they walked towards each other, a solemn grasp of the sparring partner in their eyes. Soon, a thud escaped the wind as the blades fell against one another one more time.

 86. The Basics 1

    ¡°Ahh,¡± he squirmed weakly, a tight grasp sinking into the flesh of his right arm. Peeking down as he sat on the edge of the bed, Raeyine¡¯s figure invited itself to his eyes. Sitting right beside him, the girl had her left hand wrapped around his elbow firmly, slowly washing the dark red stains with a moistened cloth.


    ¡°Sorry, I have to clean it thoroughly since Folvana didn¡¯t bother today,¡± apologetic yet somewhat indignant near the end, the girl spoke out. Keeping attentive around his bare torso, she steadily cleansed the wounds, no blood coming out despite not being healed yet.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry, it just itches,¡± he said a breath later, watching her venture up around his biceps. Cleaning the deep gash on the side of his arm with a calm face, she circled the cloth around, loosening the hardened blood with ease.


    With only a few sweeps back and forth, the blood was already transferred onto the cloth. Yet, before the fabric turned crimson, something prompted it to turn pale white, dissipating the stains completely.


    ¡°Still, although there are fewer of them, she doesn¡¯t spare you, does she?¡± The girl asked, tracing her fingers along the groove-like gashes scattered across most of his body. Tending to the man gently, she approached the shoulder next.


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s also my choice. We could have ended it earlier today,¡± he said, making her stop suddenly before a puzzled glare drilled into the side of his face.


    ¡°So, you purposefully got yourself injured more? Do you want me to have more work?¡± she pried for answers with a dubious eye, only for it to widen before she glanced down. Rubbing through her inner thigh his hand slowly made its way towards the triangular crease near the crotch.


    ¡°I can always help you out. You don¡¯t have to do it alone right after I close the doors,¡± Lutiel said whilst staring deeply into her flustered, amber eyes, only for her face to fall down yet again.


    ¡°When did you hear me?¡± She asked momentarily, clasping his cheeky hand with both of her thighs.


    ¡°After our first session, though I wasn¡¯t sure if I heard correctly,¡± he said promptly, making a faint rosiness appear around her veiled cheeks.


    ¡°Eh-ehem, alright, enough. We¡¯re here to heal you. Besides, I won¡¯t need your ¡®service¡¯ for now since we had just done it last night,¡± she said through a meek tongue, beginning to reach for the shoulder again.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he replied lightly, swiftly taking his right hand off her thighs before nestling it between his own legs, simply enjoying the treatment. Though, a few breaths later, he parted his lips again. ¡°Are you teaching me about magic after this?¡±


    Although she kept her eyes around the wounds, Raeyine couldn¡¯t help but glance up at the question, only to fall back again. ¡°Yeah, I promised you. We¡¯ll start from the very basics.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said through the closed eyes, shutting his lids tighter as she cleaned one of the deeper wounds.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Saying so, the girl leaned to the side, raising the arm to reveal his beaten up sides. Although there were not nearly as many bruises as compared to their first session, they had been replaced by deeper cuts. Regardless, she kept moving the cloth around his torso, intermittently glancing at his relaxed face.


    One area after another, the girl swiftly finished both of the arms and the sides of his stomach. Then, she stood up, clenching his thighs together with her legs before sitting on his lap. Swiftly, the man¡¯s eyes opened at the sensations, however, he could only notice the girl¡¯s deep attentiveness around him.


    Staring around the wounds without doing anything for a few breaths, she suddenly stumbled across his gaze. Stumped somewhat, Raeyine didn¡¯t linger on the manner for much longer, simply raising the cloth in her right hand before grabbing his chin with the left.


    Firstly, she took care of the cut at the top of the forehead, as well as the tear of hardened blood in the center. Cleaning the skin, as well as the tainted strands of hair, she revealed a gruesome, deep gash which looked to be a result from a fierce thrust.


    Nonetheless, getting rid of the dried up blood, she had swiftly descended to both of the cheeks, as well as the parted chin. Before long, Raeyine prepared the man for healing. So, standing up from his lap, a gesture fell about from her arms.


    ¡°Lie on your back,¡± she said, receiving a prompt reaction. Doing her bidding, Lutiel rested on her bed. However, his eyes scoured abruptly after feeling something grind against the base of his torso. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I will have better understanding this way,¡± she said, sitting on top of him whilst grazing her fingers along the sides of his stomach.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± he uttered, finally laying his eyelids down. And right after, he tensed his jaw, tightening it more and more as the wounds clenched up to fully heal. ¡®It¡¯s more painful the more I come here,¡¯ he thought to himself while his eyelids crinkled away, imagining as though his flesh was being mended back together by tight ropes.


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    Still, he couldn¡¯t deny its effectiveness. Within a few breaths, he felt as the lady fully finished clearing his torso off the wounds, nimbly moving to get rid of those around the arms.


    Similarly, only a few deep breaths were needed for him to forget about them, the same thing happening with his face. For yet another day in a row, his injuries had disappeared just like that.


    Getting up from the bed, Raeyine stood there calmly, the lethargic experience from their first day not appearing. Staring as the man also raised himself to sit on the verge of the bed, she still searched through the bruises around him.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to heal them?¡± She asked before he glanced down at his abs, seeing a few purple areas scattered around. ¡°I can easily do it now that we have this little deal,¡± adding quietly near the end, her face raised itself at the man.


    ¡°No, reserve your energy. I don¡¯t know why, but any bruise I get usually disappears the day after,¡± he said straight away, making the girl glance eerily.


    ¡°Really?¡± She asked out loud before falling into a faint reverie. ¡°Well, you should be more regenerative with more magical energy, but only ever so slightly, so it¡¯s abnormal. That being said, I did wonder why your nose healed faster than it should have back then,¡± pondering on the matter, Lutiel started to dress back up into his tattered clothes.


    ¡°Are you saying my body heals faster naturally?¡± He asked, buttoning the pale shirt of his.


    ¡°Yes, that must be the case.¡± She said with a nod, to which the man stopped all of a sudden and glanced around her.


    ¡°You said that energy increases regeneration, right?¡± Sending a swift question at her, she quickly nodded again. ¡°Why?¡± He asked tersely, making her smile, having expected the question.


    ¡°Alright, I guess we should start from the very beginning, huh?¡± Muttering weakly as she looked around the space, Raeyine corrected her glasses a bit before moving towards her desk and taking a pencil. Turning around, she swiftly faced the wall ahead of the bed, once again angling herself at the man as she stood beside it.


    On the side of the room, Lutiel sat down on the duvet once his torn jacket fell into place. As soon as his bottom touched the bed¡¯s edge, the girl pointed at the pale yellow wall, her tongue speedily sprawling through the room.


    ¡°First of all, whatever you¡¯ve learnt or seen of magic around here and the city doesn¡¯t really translate into anything.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked immediately, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that you should erase any ideas you have of it since you can¡¯t truly understand or visualize it,¡± she said in a brief manner, which only left him wondering even more so.


    ¡°Why?¡± Again, he asked, making the girl tap on the wall a few times.


    ¡°You can¡¯t use or perceive magic. What happens in the world can¡¯t be witnessed or seen by you because you¡¯re not capable of using it. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t hold onto the false thoughts you may have created.¡±


    Hearing the voice rumble through his internal walls, Lutiel stared deeply into her chained glasses, nodding his head before parting the lips. ¡°I will,¡± he said, the girl smiling faintly.


    ¡°Good, since you know now, let¡¯s begin,¡± she spoke without turning around, yet her right wrist carved a circle into the wall with the wooden pencil. ¡°What do you think is the most important when it comes to magic? You¡¯re encountered it countless times already.¡±


    Lowering his head for a few breaths, Lutiel wondered silently. Yet, he didn¡¯t need too much time to raise his eyes again. ¡°The energy,¡± he spoke confidently, making her tap the center of the sphere she carved into the wall.


    ¡°Exactly, without the energy, nothing would be possible. Not even in magic. It¡¯s the driving force of everything you can see. Every single surface you step through, every entwined fiber you¡¯re currently wearing, every food you¡¯re eating, and every creature you see, it would all fall down without the energy we call Mana.¡±


    Immediately, as he heard the voice fall through the space, Lutiel once again lowered his sight. With his face as straight as ever, he asked suddenly. ¡°Is that why I feel weaker whenever you heal me?¡±


    ¡°Correct. I take away your mana to heal your flesh, hence your slight exhaustion,¡± she said to the constantly thinking man, raising her brow somewhat as he finally looked up.


    ¡°If it¡¯s so prevalent, why can¡¯t humans use it?¡± Asking with his eyebrows creased, the man let a solemn stare at the girl, who immediately put her smiles behind, turning firm around her whole body.


    ¡°That¡¯s because of the continent you live in. Yes, the mana as a whole is abundant here, however, there is a little stream of it compared to the outside world. There was no need for your bodies to change according to your surroundings.¡±


    ¡°I see, but our hearts still carry mana, no? Don¡¯t yours do the same?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just that we have developed an organ inside our bodies known as the core. However, it would be easier if you thought of it as a second heart.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Just think of it like that for now. I don¡¯t want your mind to clutter up. We¡¯re straying off when we should be learning the basics.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry, I got a bit excited,¡± he uttered with a nod, promptly straightening his back before intently listening.


    ¡°Alright, as I was saying, mana is the main factor of magic, however, magic itself isn¡¯t mana. Rather, magic can be described by the broad term of consuming mana to create an effect, but it¡¯s not as simple as that sounds.¡±


    ¡°Like creating wind?¡± He asked swiftly, the girl not minding his curiosity.


    ¡°Of course, however, we will leave the topic. Elemental magic needs you to understand mana on a deeper level.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he uttered, somewhat disappointed. Yet, Lutiel briskly turned towards the girl, seeing her tap away at the circle in the wall.

 87. The Basics 2

    ¡°Mana is the core of magic. But, like I said, it¡¯s not as simple as that,¡± saying so, the girl scribbled a line from the circle, flowing to the right before creating a smaller one. ¡°One of the main things you need for magic is to be able to perceive its existence around you.¡±


    Without saying anything, he simply watched the girl create an arch, curving to the part above the first circle before etching a similar one to the second. ¡°Then, you have to be capable of manipulating the energy.¡± she added, not stopping at all. Moving to the left side with another arch, Raeyine continued.


    ¡°Only then can you utilize the mana through tens of means, one of those being mental visualization.¡± Drawing the smaller circle, she left off to head for the bottom of the large circle, already beginning to engrave the fourth minute one.


    ¡°For the last bit of magic, you would have already produced it, however, the effect itself needs control. If you can¡¯t harness the power, you can¡¯t categorize it as magic yet. Instead, it would be counted as raw magic, which is also a topic for another time.¡± She said, ending the same time as she connected all of the four little small circles, only the first one connected to the initial.


    Before Lutiel could speak through his furrowed eyebrows, the maid started once again. ¡°These are the five main aspects of magic. Mana, perception, manipulation, conception, and mastery. All of which have their own unique details.¡±


    ¡°Huu, and I¡¯m guessing that perception of mana only appears when the organ is there, right?¡± He said before an awry smile swept Raeyine¡¯s face. ¡°Of course,¡± he added after watching the girl nod meekly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be disheartened, alright? Even if it¡¯s unlikely, you never know what will happen in the future,¡± she said, however, the man simply shook his head.


    ¡°Raeyine, I know it¡¯s not possible already. I just want to understand magic at least a little if I¡¯m meant to live there,¡± he said, but the girl kept her smirk on.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just move on, then. What do you want to know now?¡±


    Asking the man, she watched his immured face for a while, staring deeply into the purple eyes before sparking back into reality as he parted his lips.


    ¡°What about the demon horns? You only ever told me they signified higher power in demons. Can you give a proper explanation now?¡± Lutiel asked, making her think for a moment before she eventually nodded.


    ¡°Sure, though it won¡¯t be full, as that would be too much information for the amount of mana you possess currently,¡± she said lightly, quickly continuing underneath his agreement.


    ¡°The horns are a great symbol for the whole of demons. Practically every child strives to acquire one as quickly as they can, even if most realize they simply can¡¯t ever achieve it.¡±


    ¡°Is it related to magic?¡± He asked, and the girl confirmed with her head swiftly. Then, she turned back to the wall, tapping once on it before it reverted back to its initial look.


    However, it only stayed that way momentarily. Cutting through once again, she took her time in drawing two silhouettes. Promptly, she drew a line that cut through the waist of the left one, while the other balanced a line on top of its head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say both of these demons are young friends living in some village. Both come from a similar household whilst training their magical aspects the same amount,¡± she started explaining whilst pointing around the figures.


    ¡°However, after a while, the left one starts to notice his training isn¡¯t going as smoothly as before, not compared to the right at least. While his speed greatly diminishes around this line for example, the other one can still grow at the same pace as before.¡±


    Lutiel listened closely, furrowing his brows lightly to constantly keep sight of the figures. And, Raeyine kept moving her tongue. ¡°Before long, while the left one either gives up, grows extremely slowly, or doesn¡¯t increase the aspects at all, the right had already reached the most he could bring out of himself.¡±


    However, fuddle shrouded Lutiel¡¯s face because of her words. ¡°What happens next, then? What about the horns?¡± He asked, making the girl smile.


    ¡°The one on the right has seemingly reached his all. However, he keeps training despite that, only to notice something eerie inside him. The mana starts to behave weirdly, as though it wants to break away from the organ restraining it. Despite fearing that his organ might shatter, he gives in to the feeling, clenching and grunting as something starts to grow out of him, his head to be precise.¡±


    ¡®The way she described is strangely close to the feeling I had with the dark bubble. Though, I definitely didn¡¯t gain any magic.¡¯ Lutiel mused with a calm face, listening intently to her words.


    ¡°He has broken through the barrier we call a level, reaching the second one. And his new horn, formed from all of the previous mana, allows his body to achieve more in the magical aspects, at the same time expanding the magical core¡¯s limits.¡± Her voice continued to dribble down at the man who stopped listening as deeply.


    Hovering over the words, they rang out in his ears, prompting Lutiel to part his lips. ¡°Levels, huh? Then, Is Zyponia on the third level, while you¡¯re still on the first?¡± He asked, swiftly receiving a nod in response. Lowering his head slightly, the man wondered for a while, silent throughout.


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    Yet, before the lady could continue her lecture, she finally sparked at his face as his tongue rolled through the space. ¡°Breaking those levels, is it just the sensation of something breaking inside you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow, somewhat puzzled at the question. Yet, a moment later, Raeyine¡¯s eyes fell back into peace. ¡°Actually, I guess I could have misled you. The feeling depends on the person. Breaking through a level might come in hundreds of different ways, it¡¯s that most of them are similar to what I had described.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± muttered the man, soon busy inside his head. ¡®Does that mean I could have broken through one? Still, I don¡¯t have anything like a horn, do I? No, how could I even achieve a second level if I hadn¡¯t trained magic once before?¡¯ He mused internally, only to get nowhere.


    ¡°Lutiel?¡± Suddenly, he tossed his head back at the maid, hearing her voice speak out to him. ¡°I can help you understand better if you¡¯re confused. Even demons have trouble comprehending magic solely by themselves,¡± she said, however, the man briskly shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I was just thinking about something. Let¡¯s continue,¡± he said, promptly gaining a reaction from the girl. A breath later, he was already focusing his eyes on the wall, watching Raeyine¡¯s gestures constantly as the lecture kept on for a little bit longer.


    ¡­


    A certain image flashed in front of him, an eerie one, Lutiel mused. Staring at the gloomy shades of violet underneath him, he watched the dress flow about as the lady¡¯s figure kept on walking. Her right arm behind her back, she steadily kept it entwined with his marked hand.


    Walking through the corridors as Zyponia led him, he couldn¡¯t help but finally ask away. ¡°Where are we going? I couldn¡¯t even walk into your study,¡± he said lightly, only for the girl to briskly turn around, a joyous smirk stretching across her face.


    Turning around fully, she grabbed both of his hands, still walking through the space. ¡°I was thinking of going to the city. I need to buy a few things and you haven¡¯t seen it at night, have you?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± he said whilst shaking his head.


    ¡°Good, do you want to go, then?¡± The girl asked again, despite pushing him towards herself constantly. Budding into a full smile as he nodded to the question, Zyponia once again turned around, however, breaking their contact apart.


    Despite the sudden flash in his eyes, Lutiel couldn¡¯t do anything as he saw the flight of stairs leading down before them. Simply walking beside the lady, they steadily reached the ground floor, hastily stepping through the darkness ridden floor.


    Albeit their break of touch, they hadn¡¯t witnessed anyone flood into their sight, easily walking through towards the entrance. Yet, before opening the doors, the man made her stop quickly. ¡°Are we going there with the carriage?¡±


    However, stopping only for a nippy breath to stare into his eyes, the girl had already opened her mouth. ¡°Yes, but we will be there for a while, so Rovier isn¡¯t coming with us.¡± She said, promptly making him furrow his eyebrows while opening the doors.


    ¡°You can drive it?¡± He asked, only to almost squirm the brows deeper as her laughter resounded together with a sharp wind. Watching her swaying hair stumble across her giggles, the man added on. ¡°What?¡±


    Flowing back to her previous state after a while, his eyes widened suddenly. Turning his head towards the commotion he heard, he watched the carriage move despite no horses being connected to it. The wheels turned on their own, it seemed.


    And, the one responsible for the event simply waved her arms around, constantly keeping glances around the man whilst a faint smile adorned her face. ¡°Of course I can,¡± the girl said, making the carriage arrive right in front of them.


    ¡°Is this what a third level can achieve?¡± He muttered out abruptly, gazing at the doors of the glossy, black carriage. This time, it was Zyponia¡¯s turn to share her puzzle.


    ¡°Did Raeyine tell you?¡± Her pink eyes pried, only to settle down once he nodded. ¡°I see. Since you¡¯ve asked, no, this is just a meager use of my magic,¡± the girl spoke, flashing her teeth to the man whilst he came closer to the carriage.


    ¡°Please,¡± he said, gesturing with his arms after opening the doors. Without an utterance, the girl moved, getting inside before falling onto the soft seats. Following right after, Lutiel shut the doors tightly and sat in front of the lady.


    Yet, before long, the countless, blank glances from her prompted the lady to act on her own.


    His eyes opened up abruptly, a speedy yet meek force luring him towards the lady, her hands having pulled the man.


    Swiftly sat directly beside the girl, he only turned his head to the left. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± she said, silently looking ahead of herself whilst lightly entwining her right arm with his figure.


    Looking through the windows of the already moving carriage, his left arm prodded through the delicate graze of Zyponia, getting it underneath her arm before their hands entwined and locked tightly.


    Both of them kept silent, staring beyond the windows calmly before seeing the surroundings change. With a steady speed, they started to leave the gates, promptly traversing through the forests around the hills near the mansions.


    However, having left the property fully, Lutiel finally turned down, only to witness the girl already peering at him. Keeping their gaze for a few steady breaths, he eventually parted his lips. ¡°Why are we going exactly?¡±


    The question lingered in her eyes momentarily, letting go just as she spoke away. ¡°I¡¯ve run out of ink and a few other supplies. And I also don¡¯t want to be constantly cooped up in the mansion. It¡¯s nice to break away from the blind pursuit of power once in a while,¡± the girl said, finally turning around to face the seats ahead of them.


    ¡°I guess so.¡± He said lightly, stopping for a second before an abrupt thought left his mouth. ¡°Zyponia, is physical training similar to magic training?¡± Lutiel asked, making her spark back around his face before hesitantly nodding.


    ¡°Yes¡­ maybe? I don¡¯t really know since I don¡¯t train my muscles. I guess the idea behind both are quite similar, but it differs greatly in action. Though, some magical exercises are associated with muscle training at the same time. It¡¯s a gray area of sorts now that I think about it,¡± the girl spoke to the man who readily kept his eyes around the rolling lips.


    ¡°Maybe Folvana knows something about it,¡± a sudden mutter left his mouth, followed by a tart breath when the girl pinched his thigh. ¡°Agh! Sorry, sorry, I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Lutiel spoke briskly, making the stern face turn somewhat smiling again.

 88. Date Night 1

    ¡°Good, at least spend some time thinking of me when we have a date,¡± she said with a slightly pouty tone, to which he abruptly stopped his mouth. No, his figure stopped for a nippy moment as he stared into her shimmering eyes.


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t just let her smirk devour his presence. ¡°Hmm? Is it not enough if I think of you every time I close my eyes?¡± The man asked, her face failing to react this time. Falling silent underneath his tongue, Zyponia simply scoured through the empty space for a while. Finding nothing through the murky windows though, she could only stare at his lightened below the crystal face.


    Taking a while to conjure a thought, she still spoke out regardless. ¡°Do you only think of me when you¡¯re lonely? Or maybe horny?¡± Putting on a saddened tone, Zyponia pulled closer to his figure, touching her breasts against his arms whilst the head hovered beside his face.


    ¡°No, but right now yes,¡± he replied swiftly, making the girl break out into a sudden smile. Letting out a sharp breath, the duo closed their eyes. Slowly, they went forward through the darkness, right before meeting the softness on the other side.


    Gathering their lips against the other, Lutiel pried hers open before asking for her tongue, at the same time breaking their intertwined hands and swiftly tracing along the sides of her figure.


    His fingers surely descended to the waist, only for him to grasp it. Clenching the hems of her dress along with the soft flesh, he turned suddenly, making her sit on top of his lap.


    The girl didn¡¯t oppose in the slightest, instead indulging in his mouth and playing with his hot tongue. Twirling it around her pink flesh, Zyponia grabbed the man¡¯s jaw. Pulling tighter towards him, she didn¡¯t dare move away, even as her chest begged for the opposite.


    With opened eyes, it was Lutiel who pulled her away, promptly looking at the dissatisfied mien of hers, along with the string of saliva falling down the lady¡¯s chin. Still, she took a few sudden breaths from the commotion, the man following before letting her fall on his face anew.


    This time however, they took care in the kisses, not pervading as rampantly as before. Brushing the moist lips, soft yet distinct sounds reverberated through the moving carriage.


    As they kept at it, the man suddenly sunk his fingers into the backside he rested his palms against, firming the touch before she released a faint squirm within his mouth. ¡°Aaahhh,¡± she spat out, breaking apart her lips somewhat, only to go back to him instantly.


    Rummaging through her buttocks constantly, he grabbed and pulled them tightly. Listening to the sweet breaths she gave out, Lutiel could only continue.


    Yet, Zyponia finally regained her place around his embrace. Grasping his shoulders, she started to grind against the place she was seated at, the growing bulge reminiscing through her deeply violet dress. At the same time, their faces broke apart, her tongue intermittently lingering around his neck.


    ¡°Haa,¡± a quick breath left his mouth, feeling the pressure strike through him like a hot coal. However, hearing his reactions, the girl quickened her pace. Going back and forth along his tight pants with her loins, Zyponia smiled as a quick breath crawled out from her similarly.


    Swiftly locking eyes with each other, Lutiel finally parted his lips. ¡°Should we be doing this out in the open? What if some merchant drives by? Ugh,¡± He started speaking, swiftly falling back into a grunty silence as her palm assaulted the firm head veiled beneath his pants.


    ¡°I say let them see, don¡¯t you think so as well?¡± She asked suddenly, a smirk sprawled across her face whilst the man hovered his eyes over to the windows, simply to witness their reflected images. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have started if you didn¡¯t want anyone to see us, hehe,¡± she giggled out before kissing the side of his neck, leaving a rosy mark behind.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned once more as Zyponia pressed against his erection, but he grabbed her butt tighter before watching her slither down. Getting away from his grasp with ease, she steadily descended down to the floor of the carriage, kneeling on the hard surface, in between his spreaded legs.


    Constantly keeping track of his heavy breaths and deep eyes, the girl¡¯s face eventually gazed down at his bulge, rubbing it steadily with her right hand.


    Feeling it about to burst through the tight pants, the smile across her expression didn¡¯t abate in the slightest. In a nippy moment, all of the buttons popped out at the same time. The pressure subsided instantly, at the same time revealing his tightened underwear.


    With glistening eyes, Zyponia quickly focused her sight on the member, peering through the woven fabric of his undergarments and moving her arms. Tracing along his waist, the lady put her fingers inside, pulling everything away with a swift motion.


    A staggering sight engulfed her momentarily, standing high right before her. Before saying anything, she quickly grabbed the base, pulling his hard cock to her face. Squished against each other, Lutiel gave a sudden breath as she smeared her face around the glans.


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    Lingering around the tip with her nose, the lady sniffed his scent repeatedly, even if she simply held it around her face. Regardless, placing her whole face against the underside of his cock, Zyponia¡¯s pursed lips opened before the tongue started spreading its fluids along the shaft.


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± Lutiel let out a moan as the girl trickled up and down his cock with the mouth effortlessly. Having done it regularly each time they had intercourse, the girl naturally learned of all of his sensitive spots, the same way he had with her.


    Quickly, she tasted his dick whilst going up to the plump base of the glans. Then, Zyponia placed her mouth along the frenulum, not moving her face in the slightest. Rather, the right hand holding his shaft tightened up before rocking it to the sides apace.


    Soon enough, the man¡¯s thighs tensed up whilst his feet started to clack against the floor. Cocking his head back as the demon lord danced along his glans, the girl suddenly eased the muscles of his stomach, letting him breathe properly and placing the tip in her mouth.


    Covering it to glisten however, she promptly took it out. Promptly, the lady puckered her lips, steadily releasing spit on top of his rod before smearing it lightly beneath his curious eyes.


    Moving away from his member completely, it twitched in anticipation as the man watched her arms move closer towards her shoulders. Slowly, the girl started to unveil her sleek figure, stopping right as the round breasts resounded in his eyes.


    Despite his interest growing further, he stayed silent. Nimbly, her bust fell down to his lap, the chest touching his shaft with two pointy nipples.


    ¡°Have any of them done this for you yet?¡± She asked suddenly, making him raise an eyebrow. However, he didn¡¯t speak on the matter much. Instead, Lutiel shook his head to answer the lady, making her smile blossom further as she came closer.


    Leaning forward to ease her way, Lutiel promptly watched the lady settle his member in between her breasts, closing around it easily.


    Speedily, the man fidgeted around as her boobs squished his member tightly. Peeking with the tip and more, Zyponia swiftly started moving her chest up and down, seeing his member start to twitch in response.


    Bursting into a smile at his reactions, she glanced up at the man for a moment, only to turn back at his tip as Lutiel kept staring ahead of himself from the pleasure.


    Splashing sounds reverberated through the space, her saliva easing the way through their flesh. Yet, as soon as it smeared off, the girl spat out even more on the glans right in front of her face, simultaneously increasing the pace.


    And, seeing as the head kept releasing a cloudy drop at the very cusp of his member, the girl¡¯s constant gaze around it prompted her to finally lower her mouth towards it.


    Raising and slamming the chest on his cock whilst he released the deep moans, Zyponia covered her lips around the tip, kissing and smearing them around to stagger his approach around the seats further and stronger. Clenching his fists and tightening his abs, Lutiel¡¯s deep breaths played like a melody to the girl.


    Steadily massaging the tip with her mouth, Zyponia continued for countless breaths, glancing up at him with breaks before watching him descend deeper into the depths of pleasure.


    Speeding up the bounces of her breasts, Zyponia began to cover his tip with her mouth, bobbing her head up and down whilst sucking on the glans thoroughly. Not much of the movements were needed, the sensation simply too much for him to hold onto.


    Pulsating deeply in her breasts, his cock twitched incessantly. Unannounced, a spurt of white liquid shot up in the space as the girl moved her mouth away, watching the sperm fly high before letting it descend on her body, tainting her figure completely.


    With closed eyes, the smiling girl slowly trailed her fingers across the covered face, leading the cum towards her mouth before licking her fingers. As soon as most of the cum was swallowed, her face quickly cleared up from the smears, the girl moving to the side whilst the man¡¯s chest still heaved vehemently.


    Yet, he suddenly widened eyes. ¡°What is dho reisu dlar vider?¡± Hearing the voice of the city guard, he quickly moved his arms to hide his crotch, under the amused guise of Zyponia.


    Without turning around, she opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± she said with the demonic tongue, a silence falling through the area before a somewhat stuttery voice fell back.


    ¡°I-I pripress, Lady Zyponia. Prie, ris in,¡± the guard said before the noise of the gates moving resounded briskly. At the same time, the girl seated ahead of him moved up again, getting closer to him before letting her hands fall to his shoulders.


    Yet, he swiftly grabbed her forearms, despite not covering himself anymore. ¡°What are you doing?¡± They will see us,¡± she said quickly, soon furrowing his brows as the girl¡¯s giggle scattered through the place.


    ¡°So what? Even if they see us, they can¡¯t do anything about it,¡± Zyponia said with a clear face, making him spat out his confusions.


    ¡°Huh? The whole city will talk about us,¡± he nudged the girl, however, she stayed adamant about her decision, slowly stepping up on the seats whilst glancing at his proudly standing member.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be abashed down there, though? Are you actually more excited than before?¡± The lord said, raising her dress before moving the panties to the side. Swiftly, she lowered herself, gaining the attention of his member as her wet fold brushed through it.


    Yet, before he could enter her, Lutiel¡¯s arms upheld her thighs, stopping the girl. ¡°Zyponia,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°We really can¡¯t do this here. Think about your imag-,¡± the man continued, only for her to shut his lips with her hand.


    Sighing, she made a half-smile at him. ¡°I was just joking. I already made it so they would be able to see or hear us, even before getting to the guards, so don¡¯t worry and let me come already,¡± her locked gaze spoke to his gradually widening eyes.


    ¡°You¡­¡± he spoke, only to hear her giggles stifle down as she finally nestled his penis inside her entrance. ¡°Ugh,¡± groaning away at the abrupt impulse, the man swiftly wrapped his hands around her back.

 89. Date Night 2

    ¡°Nghh!¡± Similarly, the girl moaned through her sultry breaths. Grasping his shoulders, she slowly raised herself from the sitting position, Lutiel helping her taut muscles.


    Briskly, he eased his grasp, making both of them release high voices as she suddenly fell down to meet his tip with the cervix. Shivering slightly at the touch, the girl¡¯s soft moans were once again ignited, Lutiel already starting to raise her up. ¡°W-wait a second,¡± she begged him, however, the man didn¡¯t listen.


    Rather, he made her ass bounce on his hips, explicit noises accompanying them despite being mostly clothed. Gritting his teeth slightly as he felt her tighten up around his cock, Lutiel continued to listen to her sweet moans, letting himself go faster and faster each time she warmed his ears.


    ¡°Angh! Nngh! AHHH!¡± Her throat staggered from the high-pitched screams of pleasure, his whole cock reaching deeper than ever from the position. Knocking on her womb¡¯s entrance repeatedly, he felt it part before engulfing his whole tip, only to raise her figure up once again.


    Falling and parting the cervix one more time, the girl suspended her breaths and moans all together, struggling to breathe from the sensations. Biting her bottom lip as her pink eyes searched for the ceiling, she yelped all of a sudden whilst her whole body trembled away.


    Releasing her urine in a stream as she came, the girl¡¯s forehead fell on his, tightly pushing against his head as her eyelids fluttered for a brief moment.


    Unable to glance ahead of her, the girl simply released her thoughts on his jacket, making him stare at her shivering face, somewhat astonished at the sheer intensity of her squirts. However, feeling the clenching tightness she made his dick endure, the man also tightened his stomach, pushing her down deeper instinctively.


    The duo¡¯s legs shivered as they embraced one another. No longer searching through the streets, the man simply released his seed within her womb, making her release an additional, brisk stream from the top of her vulva. Remaining silent for a while, they kept in the bask of pleasure, letting it slowly quench by itself.


    Though, as his heart raged when he saw the demon pedestrians glancing curiously at the windows, Lutiel¡¯s mind swiftly came back. Scouring through the lightened streets, he watched the demons, only to breathe out slightly as he saw them stare back ahead of themselves.


    ¡°Fuu, everything okay?¡± He finally asked when her eyes regained their usual glimmer, waiting for a brisk moment before the girl¡¯s warm breath engulfed his nose.


    ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯m okay,¡± Zyponia stuttered, weakly raising her head to lock eyes with the man. Breaking out into a flourishing smile, she showed her pearly teeth to him before falling down at the lips. ¡°That was so good, Lutiel,¡± she added between the faint kisses.


    Albeit reluctantly, her face still eventually moved away. Pushing down on his shoulders, she moaned slightly as his snugly fit erection slowly crawled out of her entrance, only to glance down at herself, feeling the heavy load of his begin to drip out.


    ¡°Heh, it seems like you enjoyed it just as much as I did,¡± the girl spoke before stopping his cum from tainting their attire any more. Somehow blocking it from leaking out, she promptly put her panties and bra on, following with the dress next.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied in the meantime, standing up to get dressed as well. ¡°I guess their gazes made me more excited,¡± adding whilst buttoning his pants up, his head suddenly flowed towards her.


    ¡°Yup, we should do it more often. Maybe we could even find some secluded alley,¡± having dressed up, she came closer to the man. Placing her hands on his biceps daintily, she spoke with a soft tone, briskly making his furrowed eyebrows crease up further.


    Though, a moment of thought later, he eased up. ¡°... Sure,¡± after a prolonged silence, Lutiel spoke up, speeding up with his sight to catch the turning lady.


    Before he knew it, she already grasped his hand, once again pulling onto him before grabbing the door handle. ¡°Wait!¡± With a quick halt of his legs, the girl turned around. ¡°We¡¯re still dirty, no?¡± He asked, only for her to shake her head questioningly.


    ¡°No? I cleaned us up already,¡± she said, making his head fly towards her purple hair as Zyponia finally opened the door, promptly breaking their contact apart as soon as the nippy wafts barged in. Flowing around the faces lightly, their hair swayed lightly before a harsher gale came forth.


    Ever since the carriage had stopped, the few demons walking through the pavement halted their walk to glance at it. However, as soon as the lord¡¯s image revealed itself, the demons froze in place completely, glaring through the lady and her slave vehemently.


    ¡°Your viz¡¯uj,¡± one of the demons close to the buildings suddenly spoke up, quickly bowing down slightly before the rest of the demons followed in his steps. Lutiel, glancing through the bowed figures, swiftly traveled to the girl¡¯s back.


    However, his eyes only witnessed her steady gait, the girl not responding to the words at all. Zyponia simply headed through the sidewalk, targeting the large sign with a frog engraved on top of it.


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    Meanwhile, following the girl behind, Lutiel suddenly turned to the side. An intense glare met his eyes, directed specifically at him. Furrowing her bushy brows, the demon lady grimaced as she watched him stand so casually beside the lord.


    Yet, the man had to stop, almost bumping into his lady. Coming to an abrupt halt, her pink eyes swiftly befell on the pale pink lady with blue brows. Stretching her arm out, the surprised demon¡¯s face dropped suddenly, staring at the ground as soon Zyponia¡¯s wrist flicked down.


    Promptly, she eyed the demon lined alongside the two sides of the pavement. ¡°Are you grozi¡¯yr my involni?¡± Her voice beamed across the whole sidewalk, the silence that prevailed only broken up by the distant, faint noises from the streets ahead.


    Hearing the lady speak out, the demon bunch eagerly shook their heads, doing so as if their life depended on it. ¡°Topfe. That is starki,¡± she said anew, making all of them stop before glancing up at the lady. ¡°You tomi vznie your galiva,¡± uttering whilst already starting to walk again, they followed briskly, raising their heads back up.


    However, their gaze didn¡¯t linger around the duo nearly as much compared to before. Slowly going back to their tasks, only a minor part of them still kept around to witness the lady.


    ¡®Is this what it means to be a royal?¡¯ Lutiel thought to himself abruptly, gazing at the side of Zyponia¡¯s face, who began turning towards the doors of the shop. Before long however, he broke from the stupor, closing their distance with brisk steps and opening the doors for her to move inside.


    Shutting them despite the demons standing nearby, he promptly regained vision of the place.


    Dark throughout, the wall on the right stretched to extend into a counter lightened up by meek crystals scattered across the space.


    Catching up to the lady, he swiftly went inside the shop he had visited once before. And, immediately as they set foot beyond the sprawl of shadows, a drained voice scattered out.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯o is it?¡± The man behind the counter spoke out, not caring to even glance to the side whilst supporting his chin with his palm and elbow on the wood below. Sparingly, he tossed the eyes towards his left, hearing no reply come forth.


    Yet, as soon as he did, the shopkeeper sprung up into an erect stature, furrowing his eyebrows slightly at the sight before him. ¡°Your magus, kozs¡¯i tomi I pomuc?¡± He asked immediately, a small smile resting on him while welcoming the princess.


    ¡°I will walk around by myself,¡± she suddenly spoke in the human tongue, making him raise his eyebrow slightly, only to turn back at the slave behind her. Somewhat retreating from the mien, the shopkeeper still eyed the two deeply as they started to walk through the aisles of various, magical assortments.


    Specifically, Zyponia quickly got to the vials with liquids, scouring through the shelves before arriving at the deep blue inks. Taking ten of the identical glasses, she guided them through the air before they arrived at Lutiel¡¯s arms.


    Carrying them effortlessly as the lady walked through the shop with curious eyes, she also took two reams of dark papers for him to hold onto. However, as the inks fell down on the papers, the girl¡¯s eyes went through him. ¡°Do you want something from here?¡± She asked suddenly, to which his brows twitched in thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any money on myself,¡± he spoke, making her eyes roll slightly.


    ¡°Just tell me,¡± she nudged him, the shopkeeper in the back listening with squirmed eyebrows. Unable to restrain his astonishment, he simply let it be.


    On the other side, between the aisles, Zyponia stared at his pondering expression, waiting for an answer. Not making her waste too many breaths though, he glanced to the left, in between the gaps around the shelves. ¡°I wanted to get one of those books,¡± said Lutiel, making the man squint his eyes while the girl turned to glance at the bookshelves.


    ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s all in our tongue,¡± she said, however, the man nodded his head.


    ¡°Yes, though I don¡¯t know what sort of books they are. I was thinking something along the lines of swordsmanship with pictures to help describe the poses,¡± he said, making the lady fall into thought.


    Still, before she could reply back to him, the girl glanced beyond his head, peering at the shopkeeper stepping out from the counter. ¡°I could be of help,¡± he uttered in the tongue they conversed with, promptly gaining the attention of the turning man as well. ¡°Would it be fine, your majesty?¡± He asked, a nod swiftly coming from her before he gestured with stretched out arms.


    ¡°Please come with me. Sadly, I have no books about swordsmanship, but maybe something else will catch your interest,¡± he spoke to the servant, Lutiel nodding at the words hesitantly.


    Following his guidance just a breath later, they found themselves staring at the wall of books, going from the entrance of the shop right towards the other side.


    ¡°As you can see, I have more than half a thousand books at my disposal, all of which focus around different magical aspects. I assume you have heard of them, correct?¡± Standing close to the books and flailing his arms around, the shopkeeper asked Lutiel, swiftly blossoming into a smile right after.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the slave uttered before the seller that ignored him on his first visit glanced deeply into his eyes, explaining briskly.


    ¡°All of them are about the five main aspects of magic, however, mastery and perception falls out for you, together with conception. That leaves us with about a third of the books here, though I think I have certain specific ones that you might fancy,¡± the man spoke out before quickly turning around.


    Facing the books, he took one out right beside him before walking to the right a few steps and taking another two. From the beginning to shop towards the end, he took out six different books, all of different tones in their hard covers.


    Then, he glanced at the man and his lady, the duo staring keenly at his arms. ¡°These are all books about mana and manipulation focused on physical aspects of the body. There are also pictures inside them to help you understand the author¡¯s ideas,¡± he spoke with an attentive eye, changing glances between the servant and the books.


    ¡°However, I believe that personally, you should focus on these two. The others are useful only if you can use mana, though I¡¯m not saying these ones will work when you can¡¯t use magic,¡± the shopkeeper added, putting four of the vividly colored books to the floor before taking one book in each hand.

 90. Tested, Again 1

    Raising the meekly reddish book with metallic words on the front, the man started quickly. ¡°This one here is about reaching a meditative state. Relaxing your mind to think solely on the mana flowing through you, you can increase its speed and efficiency. Then, we have this one.¡±


    Saying while raising the yellowish-brown cover in his left hand, Lutiel¡¯s eyes immediately settled on it as he saw a golden heart engraved below the title. Flowing up at the man¡¯s face, he listened intently.


    ¡°It¡¯s littered with tens of different motions and positions of the body to help you increase mana flow around your system. Though, I don¡¯t how it will behave if you aren¡¯t able to use your mana,¡± the man spoke, lingering around both faces whilst Lutiel froze over.


    Burying his gaze into the book in his left hand, he kept silent for a few breaths, wondering before Zyponia¡¯s soft fingers grazed along his arm.


    ¡°I will take this one,¡± he said suddenly, eyeing the same one as before, making the shopkeeper smile lightly.


    ¡°Good choice,¡± the man spoke before placing it on top of the inks. Then, he turned his eyes to the lady. ¡°Your highness, let this be a gift from me. It¡¯s for the years of great lordship your family has served our people,¡± he spoke calmly while glancing into her eyes, the lady omitting it with a nod before crossing her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept it,¡± she said lightly. ¡°Now, sell me the other items,¡± adding whilst pointing at her servant¡¯s arms, the man urgently walked over behind the counter.


    With a few moments passing, the duo walked out to the group of demons gathered at the entrance, Zyponia¡¯s first step already parting them away.


    Then, they swiftly approached the carriage, venturing inside before Lutiel¡¯s mien soured somewhat. Right as he placed the items to his right, the carriage moved further forward, taking the fastest route he knew of towards the higher parts of the city.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep you safe,¡± a soft voice swept through his face, a pink smirk painted across his eyes. Still, he could only breathe a bit deeper to ease himself.


    ¡­


    A painful whimper came forth nippily, Lutiel¡¯s daze staring deeply into the wolf ahead of him as his blade befell on the creature. Crimson droplets tainted the grass, smeared across the tip of the shining metal.


    With a concise breath, the man readied himself before quickly running forward, after the hindered animal. Constantly in his eyes, the beast hopped to move even somewhat, its front leg lacking. Despite that, it could only get ever so far before the human had fully caught up.


    Right behind the animal, Lutiel¡¯s prepared position screamed out. His arms pointing the sword to the trees behind him, the legs promptly leaned towards the beast, a breath before his whole torso turned to the right, slashing through the air.


    Effortlessly, a faint whistle of the wind played within his ears. Then, he grimaced slightly, feeling some resistance coming from the front. Regardless, he never closed his eyes. Staring while his blade halved the animal, it swiftly fell down, its tongue stirring through the short grass as it lay there, completely lifeless.


    Immediately, peering down at the wolf he had just murdered, Lutiel clenched his jaw and stomach, fighting the deep urges within.


    However, he couldn¡¯t just keep standing there and watching the carcass. ¡°Next one!¡± A louder voice battled through the soft winds and faint rustles before he quickly turned around, putting his longsword ahead of him, holding it tight with both hands.


    Right as it pointed at the ground, a similar beast as before came straight at him. Yet, Lutiel¡¯s eyes squinted somewhat as he witnessed its size. Undeniably bigger than the former one, its head was at least a half larger.


    And, the man swiftly felt its might. Right as the teeth embedded themselves onto the blade, his footing staggered. Unable to stop the thrust of the growling beast, his jaw clenched up before he himself fell and crushed the corpse of the previous animal.


    ¡°GRRRR,¡± the wolf snarled. Keeping its mouth tensed against the blade, the brown eyes glistened with hatred, directed solely at the man ahead.


    The sword began to slice through his palms, however, Lutiel didn¡¯t care. Grasping each end of his sword to stop the ferocious beast from getting closer, he pushed against the monster. Then, he nimbly moved his right leg to kick the beast¡¯s throat.


    Thumping against the ground harshly, air swiftly dissipated from the wolf. Once more, a whimper tainted the man¡¯s ears, though it swiftly came back on its paws, already running towards him and growling fiercer than before.


    Still, he had already used the occasion to regain his foothold. Keeping his focus around the incoming beast, his hands ascended towards his right shoulder before he pointed the tip at the wolf. The dark leather of the hilt squeaked as he gripped it harsher.


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    Within a quick breath, he already pierced ahead, targeting the area between the wolf¡¯s eyes.


    Yet, he could only crease his brows as the blade grazed through the fur, leaving but a shallow cut along the surface. Evading the man¡¯s blow by lowering its body, the wolf promptly jumped ahead, opening its mouth to try and nibble away at his left arm.


    Scouring through the space quickly, Lutiel clenched his muscles before moving slightly to the side, at the same time changing his rhythm to slash to the side. Before the beast could burrow its teeth into his flesh, a large gash spread through it, parting its skin slightly and letting crimson shades cling to the darkness sprawled across its bulky figure.


    Leaving a line across the top of its head as well, the black wolf swiftly jumped away, lingering with its gaze at the man while swiftly circling around him.


    Steadily turning around to follow the wolf baring its teeth at him, the man constantly kept his stance at bay, the sword hovering above his right shoulder. But, right as he kept turning, the wolf suddenly disappeared behind one of the trees.


    The woods silent throughout, only his steps rustled through the grass as he searched for the enemy. Looking around the tree the wolf had disappeared behind, he found nothing however, making him sweep through the surroundings again, quicker than before.


    Suddenly, a breath of nippy sensations gathered at his back before tightening the skin around it.


    Turning around vehemently, Lutiel slashed to the side, his breath gradually quickening. Slicing right through the mouth as though it was a stream of water, the wolf came at him regardless, catching onto his left shin.


    ¡°ARGH!¡± A harsh scream reverberated while the beast thirsted for flesh, clenching its jaw even tighter. Immediately, his agonizing screams grew, feeling as the wolf¡¯s teeth scraped along the bone. With squirmed eyes, the man grinded through his teeth, swiftly bringing the sword up before stabbing down.


    Yet, as if aware of his actions, the wolf swiftly pulled away before darting off to behind one of the trees, the same motion as before.


    Groaning from the painful pulsations deep within his left leg, Lutiel limped whilst walking, however, he could only throw the pain away for later. Turning around once again, he searched for the wolf. Albeit a bit slower than before, his looks carried more urgency.


    Filling the silent space out with his faltering breaths, the man grunted suddenly as he made a quicker motion to the side, slashing his sword down as he felt the wolf reappear on the right. Nonetheless, the wolf easily omitted his strike, rushing around the attack before jumping for the man¡¯s throat.


    Because of its sheer size, Lutiel could already feel the warm breath enveloping the skin around his collar.


    Yet, suddenly, the beast flashed through the space, vigorously flying through the space before bending one of the smaller trees inside the forest.


    With a thud, the tree threatened to tear off at the trunk, only for the wolf to fall down before anything could happen.


    On the other side, Lutiel¡¯s right leg fell back to his normal stance, his face grimacing as he put all of his weight on the injured limb. Walking through the space with blood tainting the whole lower portion of his pants, unfortunately, the man failed to arrive before the beast got up again.


    Facing the ferocious racket it produced whilst barings its canines, the beast lowered its head, slowly starting to walk before exploding in velocity. Though, not at him directly. Dashing behind one of the trees, Lutiel sighed before once again increasing his focus.


    He glanced to the left suddenly, peering around a tree¡¯s trunk as he heard a rustle. As soon as he did however, he quickly needed to turn left once more.


    Lying in wait behind a nearby tree, the wolf finally revealed itself, rushing at the awkwardly placed man.


    A breath later, the beast¡¯s jaw easily met with the blade, hacking onto it before jerking its head harshly. Trying to pull the sword out of his grasp, it pushed back with its legs.


    Gritting his teeth, Lutiel promptly buried his right sole into the wolf¡¯s maw, only for it to bite ever so harsher. Shaking its head back and forth, the beast tried its hardest to get rid of the sword. One by one, each time it didn¡¯t obey his actions, he slammed his right foot on top of the black head.


    By the fifth, finally, the beast eased the bite somewhat, though not enough for the man to get away. Moving his leg up for the sixth strike however, the man was forced to stop. ¡°AHHHHHH!¡± He screamed his throat away, feeling the wolf get away before biting his already wounded leg, making him fall to his butt.


    Puncturing and mauling through the flesh, the sharp teeth had a much easier time from the earlier attempt, immediately reaching to the bone.


    Biting down fiercer, Lutiel shrieked with a ruptured voice, shivering in pain as he felt the hard material shatter. Glaring at the beast from the pain, he quickly used his sword, thrusting with the tip at the wolf.


    Yet, it stopped all of a sudden, the metal barely brushing through its fur before the beast¡¯s lowered head calmly gazed at the man. Shaking incessantly as he tried to raise himself, Lutiel¡¯s rough breath traveled through the forest constantly, not stopping in the slightest.


    Glancing down at his maimed leg, at the same time making sure the beast didn¡¯t get close, his chest went apace. ¡®I¡¯m starting to feel weak already. Too much blood is going away,¡¯ he thought to himself while tossing hateful glances at the animal, barely even keeping his stance from falling apart.


    ¡®Fuck, I can¡¯t even walk properly. I need to kill it fast,¡¯ he wondered, peering deeply into the wolf. However the wolf simply remained in its space calmly, waiting for him instead.


    ¡®Are you making fun of me?¡¯ He mused with a straight face, the skin wrinkling up as he grimaced from the pain. Yet, he quickly eased his facial muscles, seeing that the beast moved as soon as he did.


    Grasping his sword tighter, Lutiel¡¯s mien changed suddenly. Describing no such thing as pain anymore, his stance immured in place, at the same time opening his eyes wide to engrave the wolf¡¯s movements into him.


    Calming his breathing slightly, the sword fell, obstructing the animal¡¯s path.


    Witnessing it all, the wolf swiftly opened its mouth, whimpering away as it was abruptly thrashed to the ground, the face split apart and the front right leg hindered. Releasing short, quick breaths as the beast remained on the ground, Lutiel¡¯s body kept in place after the attack, staying there for a moment before moving back to a more leisurely position.

 91. Tested, Again 2

    Watching life slowly evaporate from the beast, he once again released deep grunts while walking towards it, despite trying to use his left leg as little as possible. Eventually however, he got there, stomping the creature with his right foot to stop it from getting away.


    Placing the sword¡¯s tip down at the head, he suddenly glanced ahead of himself, simultaneously pushing the handle down. Gradually, the breaths of the animal hesitated, soon disappearing completely.


    Albeit trying to evade its image, his head stumbled towards it on its own regardless, making him stare at the beast he had just killed. Yet, continuing to stare at its dead state, no reaction ignited from his face.


    ¡°Why did you hesitate so many times?¡± From the left, a voice abruptly enveloped his ears. Turning his head at the source slowly, he firstly glanced down at his leg however, having felt a searing sensation erupt around it.


    No longer did blood drip out from it as Folvana made her appearance. Leaning to the side, against a pine¡¯s trunk, she awaited his answers with the usual expression of indifference around her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I just didn¡¯t want to kill it,¡± he answered softly, locking eyes with his teacher.


    ¡°Was there a point in doing that? You were going to kill it regardless, so why endanger your life?¡± She asked, making him turn towards the grass for a moment, hovering over it shortly before going back at her.


    Staring into her face for a while and drowning himself in thought, he couldn¡¯t speak up, so the girl started anew. ¡°Have you at least learned something from today?¡± The girl asked, somewhat raising her eyebrow as he nodded. ¡°What is it, then?¡±


    ¡°Any slightest hesitation will lead to my death, no matter what. I can¡¯t expect what sort of enemies I will face. Today, it was a stronger one and I almost died. But, what if there was an even stronger one?¡± He said, the girl finally breaking loose as a smirk rested on her face.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± she uttered lightly, briskly stumbling forward before walking towards him. ¡°Wait a second, I will help you get back,¡± adding and eyeing the gruesome wound around his leg, she looked up at his face glistening from sweat.


    Despite being burned faintly by the lady so blood no longer leaked, the harsh breathing from the injury remained, only sparsely nodding at her offer.


    Within a few steps, her figure finally came close to the man, stopping just a whisker away as she lent him the shoulders. Closing in around her neck with the left arm, Lutiel sighed in relief as he raised the foot slightly. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lutiel muttered loosely as he turned to see her ruby hair.


    ¡°Despite your uncertainty, you did good. Think of this as your reward,¡± she said without turning her face, making him somewhat acrid around the brows.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He wondered out loud, to which Folvana briskly faced him. Glaring into his eyes for a while, the girl swiftly backed away from any thoughts however.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it,¡± she whispered meekly, promptly dragging him forward.


    ¡°What was it- argh!¡± Lutiel started speaking, only to be yanked ahead harsher. ¡°Fine, fine, sorry,¡± he said all of a sudden, promptly lingering in the forest¡¯s silence as they quietly made their way towards the horse, attached to one of the trees.


    His eyes fidgeted slightly as he watched the animal come about loose, the rope it was connected to having turned into ash before disappearing due to his blinks. ¡®Damn it, what was that again? It keeps disappearing as soon as I feel it.¡¯ He wondered for a brisk second, only to feel his shoulders nudged on.


    The horse swiftly came up in front of the duo, and Folvana moved the man in her grasp. Getting his healthy foot on the stirrups, she swiftly raised him to fall with his stomach on the horse¡¯s back. Then, as he adjusted himself to sit properly, the girl jumped, almost brushing his nose with her butt before snuggly sitting between his thighs.


    At the same time, as she pulled the reins, her round bottom pressed tightly against his crotch. Intermittent with the creature¡¯s neighs, she let words of her own out whilst turning to face him. ¡°How can you turn hard with such an injury?¡±


    Yet, hearing the question, Lutiel could only lower his head before staring away at the bulge forming and sinking into her dark leather pants. ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± he followed on, but the girl no longer listened. As though purposely, she suddenly backed into him, all while the horse started to move through the forest.


    Tilting his head to the side suddenly as she bent his member in the wrong direction, the man needed to keep silent for a while, watching the grass merge into a beaten road of mud. ¡°You really wish for a proper beating, huh?¡± Finally speaking out, he could only grind his teeth when a mocking puff crawled out of her.


    ¡°I would love to see you try,¡± she spoke, only for his face to disappear after grabbing the sides of her waist tighter. Sharply increasing the speed, Folvana maneuvered the horse in a facile manner, soon rushing out of the forest before grassy hills reverberated in their eyes, a certain, forested one standing out in particular.


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    Slowing down considerably because of the harsh winds whilst constantly keeping eyes at the mansion they headed for, she used the occasion to part her lips. ¡°Lutiel,¡± Folvana said suddenly, making his eyes flow up to her straight hair.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Asking softly, his ears were promptly met with a standing silence, only changing a few breaths after.


    ¡°After you¡¯re done with Raeyine, come to my room,¡± she ordered him plainly, without a single stutter. And, as the words fell onto the man, his reply came the same instance.


    ¡°Sure,¡± with a terse tongue, the two fell into sprawling silence again, swiftly speeding up through the road whilst staying in the identical manner for countless breaths.


    Not saying a single word even as they entered through the black gates, the girl ventured into the stables behind the mansion before getting off the horse.


    Swiftly helping the man get back down from the animal, she once again closed his arms around her before moving through the empty manor. A few tens of breaths later, they finally witnessed the entrance of the house in front of them, the instructor swiftly kicking it open and entering together with Lutiel.


    Slowly, but steadily, she guided him towards the quarters of the servants, promptly knocking on the door to the head maid¡¯s room.


    ¡°Folvana? Lutiel? Yes?¡± A voice swiftly came from beyond, somewhat confused at the appearance of the two together. Yet, the doors swiftly clicked away as she opened them vehemently, glaring with widened eyes at the man¡¯s tainted pants.


    ¡°I will leave you two alone, then,¡± the red-skinned demon spoke promptly, seeing as the concerned, amber eyes were already reaching out towards the man¡¯s figure. Backing away from the room, she went towards one of the other doors, going inside her room.


    Meanwhile, Raeyine swiftly parted her lips as the doors closed behind her. ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± She asked, supporting him with her figure and guiding the man towards her bed.


    Groaning slightly as he fell on the verge of the skewed duvet, Lutiel closed his eyes for a brief moment after feeling the girl touch away at his wound. ¡°I fought some wolves,¡± he said, but the girl seemingly didn¡¯t listen.


    Falling onto the bed as well, she brought his left leg up before placing it on top of her lap. Once again, despite having already witnessed the wound, she couldn¡¯t help but furrow the brows. ¡°Some? This is a lot more than some wolves could do. Your bone is shattered as well,¡± she said, taking off his shoe and the crimson-stained sock.


    With a single flick of her finger, the fabric around the pants easily separated into two, letting her spread the pieces away before suddenly gasping at the sight.


    ¡°Fuu, your calf muscles, they¡¯re mostly torn off,¡± she muttered under a breath before stretching out her left arm towards the wardrobe. Opening one of the drawers underneath the doors, a plain, pale cloth swiftly flew through the air, arriving into her grasp in the same breath.


    Dampening whilst still in the left palm, Raeyine promptly put it on the bloody leg, immediately making his head jerk away, the hand on top of the duvet clenching the fabrics from the cold sensations.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt. A lot. Do you want to go to sleep before I clean and heal it?¡± She asked, only for him to vehemently shake his head away.


    ¡°No, just do it already,¡± he added, making her stare at him for a brief while. Before she began however, her right palm pushed his chest down towards the bed.


    ¡°Lie down at least, it will stop you from hurting yourself more,¡± the girl said, already pushing him down. He held no objections to the matter however, clenching his jaw instead.


    Finally, the girl breathed out deeply before gingerly approaching the cloth that started to take on the blood¡¯s shades. Delicately sprawling her hand on it, she suddenly turned to the side, seeing and hearing the man grind his teeth in apprehension.


    Once again, Raeyine exhaled before starting to clean the wound away, slowly yet already attaining the man¡¯s painful groans. ¡°Ugh,¡± he spat out sharply, quickly shutting his mouth again and clenching the fists as the girl pushed against his swollen calf.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it just can¡¯t be done any other way,¡± she uttered lightly, to which the man vigorously nodded his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine-,¡± adding before abruptly closing his mouth, the eyelids promptly wrinkling away.


    Keeping the slow speed up, she massaged through the mauled and torn flesh, grimacing as she saw the large holes made by the wolf, all of which pooled with dried up blood.


    Regardless, she swiftly continued, cleaning the wound underneath the man¡¯s displeasurable grunts. Yet, before long, the paleness of the material quickly disappeared, turning bleak red.


    Tightening her grasp around the cloth, the blood quickly separated from it, turning into a sphere before suddenly dissipating, nothing of which the man could witness. Once again dropping the cleared cloth down on his wound, she pressed her palm against it before grimacing from the noises he released.


    With the majority of the wound clean, she finally turned towards the holes filled with blood, extracting the liquid by hand before doing the same to it as the one from the fabric.


    Making the substance disappear, she gave his leg one last swipe before tossing the deep red cloth on top of her chair. Then, Raeyine fidgeted around the bed with her bottom, unable to hear the man¡¯s hastened breath.


    Pulling her sleeves up to the elbows and revealing her light gray forearms, the girl opened her eyes wider, keeping track of the wound constantly whilst grasping the shin with both hands.


    ¡°ARGH!¡± The man screamed immediately as she pressed tightly against his leg, however, she only proceeded even further.


    Suddenly opening his eyes to glare at the ceiling with a burning passion, Lutiel swiftly followed down, witnessing a green shimmer come from below.


    Yet, as soon as he watched the girl, nothing stood out inside his eyes, Raeyine tending to his wounds instead.


    ¡°GRRHH!!¡± He suddenly grit his teeth harsher, scrunching his nose up before letting his head hit against the pillow below. Feeling something deep within his leg mend up by gathering back into place, he couldn¡¯t help but tense all of the muscles in his body from the sheer, mind-numbing pain.

 92. Tested, Again 3

    Watching ahead of him blankly while beads of water forced their way around his eyes, the man screamed. Similar to when she healed his gashes, the sensation washed over him, simply much stronger than before.


    Putting his hands over the eyes and gnawing at his hair, Lutiel eased the tightness, eventually feeling the sensation bicker out. Though, only for the slightest of moments.


    One after another, for the longest of breaths, the sensations repeated for times he couldn¡¯t have counted.


    Yet, finally, his heaving chest reverberated through the space, the heavy breathing calling out without any of the grunts.


    Slowly raising himself back to his arms, Lutiel watched his glabrous leg play out, bruised all around, however, no longer wounded nearly as gruesomely.


    Then, he turned slightly to the left, seeing Raeyine¡¯s exhausted eyes move towards the desk before something flew from a small drawer. Catching the metallic container along with a bandage, she swiftly opened the metal before taking the green paste on her fingers.


    Despite the tiredness, she steadied herself before smearing the paste around his leg, promptly bandaging the area and finally sighing away. At the same time, she stretched her figure and stood up.


    As soon as she did so however, her legs faltered momentarily, the girl falling towards the ground.


    The man moved immediately, having seemingly anticipated the ordeal and catching her in more than enough time. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked, staring into her eyes with a solemn gaze whilst demanding answers, however, she only turned away from his permeating glances.


    ¡°Yes, you can let me go now,¡± with the sheepish answer, he only peered deeper into her, the brows furrowing before grasping her thin wrist.


    ¡®Her heart is racing. No wonder. We haven¡¯t done it in a week and I just let her treat the largest wound I had yet,¡¯ he wondered for a moment, swiftly looking around her cheek¡¯s rosiness.


    ¡°Did you not hear me?¡± Still not looking into him, she whispered, only to widen her eyes as he traced his hand along her butt before scooping the maid into his arms. ¡°Huh? What are you doing again?¡± She asked swiftly, only for the man to place her back on the bed.


    ¡°Returning the favor with a service of my own, what else?¡± He said, making her eyebrows squirm about before settling slightly.


    ¡°Can you move around with that leg of yours?¡± At the abrupt question, Lutiel swiftly nodded.


    ¡°Of course, you did a great job,¡± adding before trailing off with his body, the man¡¯s head swiftly descended towards her, who swiftly caught his face with her palms. Right before his lips garnered hers, she stopped him and opened her mouth again.


    ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ This is only an exchange of services, nothing else,¡± the girl pried weakly, to which he briskly broke out.


    ¡°This is still my service,¡± he said lightly, feeling as her hands started to give way before her voice nudged him even further.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier, then?¡± Raeyine whispered away, the rosiness around her cheeks increasing. In a heartbeat, Lutiel swiftly grabbed her forearms, pinning them to the bed. Without waiting any longer, his lips covered the parted mouth fully, mingling with her hot saliva and the meek tongue.


    Struggling breaths went out of the girl, only to ease up a few moments later, closing her eyes as she enjoyed his voracious mouth. Entwining himself together with the girl, he also shut his eyelids, moving the lips whilst beginning to grind through her crotch with his fully grown bulge.


    ¡°Mhmmmm,¡± once again, the girl struggled sweetly underneath his grasp, promptly falling silent as he parted away for a quick breath. Glancing at her momentarily, the gleam in her eyes only coerced Lutiel to push deeper through her mouth.


    Still pinning her forearms down to the messy bed, he started to move his jaw instead, plowing through her lips as she began moaning out from his advances.


    Continuing with intermittent breaks, he halted himself after a few minutes, raising his torso to sit on his knees. Glancing at the lady peering at him from the side, Raeyine¡¯s arms remained in the same position, lying innocently on the bed.


    ¡°I want to see you naked,¡± he said out of nowhere, making her eyes widen.


    Still, she didn¡¯t speak out. Rather, slowly moving up to sit on the bed, she promptly stood up together with him.


    Watching him unbuckle his belt, the girl¡¯s racy breath fell out before she grabbed her glasses. Putting them to the desk and lowering herself, she swiftly took hold of the uniform¡¯s hems, pulling up whilst revealing the figure she was constantly veiling.


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    Silently growing in size even further whilst watching in anticipation, a faint, wet stain started smear away at the peak of his underwear, seeing the girl¡¯s sleek body stand there shyly. Looking to the side slightly, Raeyine stood frozen beneath his glare, only to once again trace down with her hands.


    Grabbing the dark panties she was wearing, they were swiftly pulled down towards the uniform on the floor, a string that connected the fabric and her crotch easily breaking apart before falling to the underwear.


    Then, her hands moved towards the bra, dropping it hastily before a clear image struck out to the man. Watching the glistening, light gray skin of the lady all throughout, he couldn¡¯t help but abruptly stop undressing himself, scouring through her light, yet pronounced figure.


    Lingering especially at the erect nipples of her round breasts, the man¡¯s member fidgeted through his underwear.


    However, as much as he wanted to stare at the enticing figure, her voice swiftly drew him up. ¡°Am I the only one that has to be naked?¡± She asked, making Lutiel swiftly unbutton his suit, getting rid of it in less than a minute as she continuously stared at him, no longer wearing any glasses.


    Finally, he got to his faintly moistened underwear, pulling out his standing cock before Raeyine¡¯s eyes widened anew. Despite having already seen it, as he got closer with the erection, she couldn¡¯t help but breathe faster.


    Stopping as soon as his tip touched the lightly visible abs and sunk into them, Lutiel grabbed the girl¡¯s face before pulling it down to him. Once again, his lips enveloped hers whilst he steadily guided her over to the bed.


    Making her sit down, he continued to push towards the sheets, promptly making her lie on her back as he constantly exchanged their saliva. Cupping her breasts at the same time, the man kneaded them lightly, brushing his palms across the hardened nipples.


    A few breaths later, he finally pulled away, only to suck the skin on her neck. Leaving darker spots from the sharp kisses, the lady murmured her breaths out under his descent.


    Slowly venturing towards her breasts, he didn¡¯t neglect them in the slightest, handing out a couple of spots and tracing down further. Brushing through the stomach as well, he left a few kisses around, only to slow down as he finally garnered attention around her thighs.


    ¡°Ahhnn,¡± a faint moan resounded through the room as he raised her left leg, promptly sucking on the inner thigh, beginning to go down whilst taking his time this instance. Unhurriedly, he made sure to cover her skin with his markings, steadily advancing towards her secret area he witnessed dripping with juices.


    Tainting the sheets and the bedding, her juices flowed constantly as she closed her eyes, only increasing the anticipation the man was giving her. With enough breaths falling out and engulfing the space, he finally met her lower lips, covered by strands just as dark as her hair.


    Slowly tracing and brushing his lips along the area, the lady swiftly let out harsher moans, the entrance clearly more sensitive than when he first tasted it. Putting his lips wholly against her pussy, the man suddenly parted them, briskly touching her gray yet pink flesh with his tongue, at the same time feeling a fresh tide spurt out around it.


    ¡°Angh,¡± the girl moaned out suddenly, opening her mouth in awe before silently peering at the ceiling for a while. Yet, her intensity only increased whilst the brows furrowed up, the man¡¯s hands starting to fondly massage her breast and pinching her nipples tenderly.


    Before long, his increasing in pace tongue began to ravage through her pussy, flicking her clitoris constantly before making the girl fidget around from the pleasure. Despite that, Lutiel held her still, Raeyine unable to run away from the direct pleasure.


    Instead, she turned to smash her head against one of the pillows, opening her mouth agape whilst her brows danced in confusion. ¡°Ahh, ahh, Lutiel,¡± she whispered out, but the man didn¡¯t seem to hear in the slightest.


    Fully focused on the entrance that steadily released new juices, he brushed his tongue up and down against it, changing the pattern a few times in between to graze from left to right. Then, he suddenly parted her entrance with his soft tongue, starting to brush it along the walls and swiftly making the lady squirm from the ticklish pleasure.


    Flicking her nipples with his fingers before going back to assaulting her clit, the man needed only a few tens of breaths more before the girl suddenly stopped responding through her mouth, frozen completely as a staggering sensation washed over her.


    Raising her fallen legs suddenly as she experienced the second orgasm from him, Lutiel watched her stay silent for a while, trembling from any sort of his touch.


    ¡°Haa, haa,¡± still, she eventually replied, catching her breaths before gasping deeply. ¡°What the fuck did I just feel,¡± cursing suddenly as her amber eyes trembled and shivered, Raeyine swiftly raised her torso up, watching the man¡¯s hard dick start to press through her gushing pussy.


    ¡°Wait a second, I haven¡¯t sucked you yet,¡± she swiftly spoke out, however, the man promptly shook his head. Making her eyebrows clunk up, he easily pushed through the folds, at the same time pinning her legs and falling down onto the maid.


    ¡°Enjoy my service for now,¡± he said, at the same time making her mouth open yet again as he connected his hips with hers completely. Pushing on her walls, especially the cervix, Raeyine abruptly let out sharp breaths.


    ¡°Nghn, you¡¯re digging through me,¡± her soft voice cried out, making him pull away before pushing down yet again. ¡°AH! Yes! Ahh! Fuck me!¡± She exclaimed a breath later, feeling him start to speed up and groan away.


    Obliging to the words, Lutiel closed his hands around her ankles, pushing the legs down as he worked through his lower body. Feeling the tightness she imposed around his cock, the man felt like ejaculating any moment, however, steeling his hastened breaths, Lutiel made sure not to blow inside, at least not yet.


    Restraining himself whilst pounding on her hips with growing pace, the girl¡¯s melody rang out in his ears, simply making his eyes burrow deeper into her.


    Albeit slowing down slightly, the man focused on brushing the upper walls of her pussy with his tip, swiftly hearing immediate effects.


    ¡°Ehh? Uhh, nghnn,¡± with a sudden hesitation, the girl¡¯s voice broke apart, turning back into moans stronger than before. Hastily releasing the sharp gasp and breaths, the girl looked to the side, unable to watch the man anymore as she closed her eyes.


    Still, briskly widening them as she felt him reach deeper and harsher than before, she opened her lips again. ¡°Oohh, wha?¡± She spat out suddenly, wrinkling her forehead from the sensations beginning to cluster up within.

 93. Escape 1

    At the same time, she flinched her eyes towards the man, taking hold of her wrists before closing the fingers arms around them and pulling her to him. Immediately, a deep grunt fell out of the man, the girl clenching around his dick at the nippy increase in speed.


    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t stop, please¡± she pleaded, making him grit his teeth as he steadied on the verge of releasing his load. The splashing sounds accompanied with his pounding almost drowned out their breaths, the man not stopping in the slightest after seeing the girl struggle to hold up her eyes correctly.


    ¡°Nnghn, ahhhhhh!¡± Moaning before releasing a sharp screaming, the man briskly pushed deeper into the lady, parting through her cervix before his cock twitched incessantly, spurting out his seed thoroughly inside her womb.


    ¡°Haaa! Haaa!¡± The girl gasped, her legs and lower body shaking under the orgasm. Meanwhile, her widened eyes scoured through the room and reached for the man above her.


    Locking sight with him whilst feeling him release his warmth, she promptly raised herself, grabbing his face before falling down again. This time, Raeyine was the one to lead his tongue around, spiraling hers around it steadily. Mingling with his lips for a while, their breaths didn¡¯t want to back down, together with the connected genitals of theirs.


    Still, finally breaking off before the man pulled his readily hard cock out, the girl sat on the bed, spreading her lips apart whilst gazing at the steady cum dripping out of her. Smirking through her refreshed mien, she quickly looked up.


    ¡°Did you want me to get pregnant or what?¡± She asked all of a sudden, making his eyes widen sharply before freezing up. Even his standing penis abated somewhat as the words resounded inside him.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± following with a cheery laughter, the girl closed her eyes before moving her head back slightly. ¡°Haa, your face was horrified. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t impregnate me,¡± she said, rubbing her eyes off the faint tears.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel finally came back from his thoughts, briskly watching as the lady pulled him towards the bed. Lying on his back, he saw her face crawl up to his ears, a smirk painting it throughout. ¡°Not yet, at least,¡± she whispered directly into him, lighting up with smiles as she saw his dick get up to its full state.


    Seeing it smeared with his cum however, the girl quickly moved her face towards the tip, hovering over it for a brisk moment before gradually descending fully. Immuring her mouth fully with his cock, the girl was only able to stuff half of it inside, but she didn¡¯t fret.


    Grasping each side of his waist, his moans increased promptly as she pushed herself deeper, beginning to brush the glans around her throat without stopping.


    Widening his eyes, Lutiel watched her take all of his erection inside her mouth, gagging relatively lightly compared to his sword instructor. Before long, the man closed his eyes, creasing his brows whilst feeling the girl¡¯s warmth surrounding his cock.


    ¡°Ghaa,¡± he let out a sharp breath, Raeyine pulling out before brushing through his pubes once again. Abruptly turning apace, she bobbed her head up and down, making him squirm below the sensations, at the same time not stopping even once to breathe properly.


    Gurgling faintly as his cock started getting covered in mucous saliva, she increased her speed even further, making his abs tense up while he involuntarily sprung up.


    Yet, moving her hands towards his chest, the maid held him still before tightly pressing her nose against his pubes. Then, she once again resumed, eagerly brushing the man¡¯s cock all along the insides of her mouth.


    Hitting the glans with the back of her throat lightly, the man murmured out his groans, unable to restrain himself from the sensations. Grabbing his hair, he pulled the strands lightly to fight off the feeling, briskly clenching them harder as his cock started twitching uncontrollably.


    Suddenly, the girl pulled her mouth off of him, but before he could complain, the sensations never subsided. Grabbing his shaft at the base with one hand and pulling it down, she swiftly used the other to stroke the tip away.


    ¡°Angh, ahh!¡± The man let his screams abruptly, closing his eyes as a stream of white spurted out of him like a fountain. Her lips coveting the tip however, only faint traces of cum fell on top of his stomach, the rest quickly ejected inside the girl¡¯s mouth, promptly to be delightedly swallowed up.


    Still tightly pressing against his cock, as soon as her hands loosened, she saw the tip release another drop, which she licked away right after, along with the sperm that fell on his abs. After another few moments of gingerly tending, Raeyine finally backed away to sit on her knees, looking away at the man¡¯s slowly losing breathing.


    With his left forearm covering his forehead, he stared away at the ceiling, underneath the girl¡¯s smirk. ¡°Haa, that was amazing,¡± said Lutiel all of a sudden, making the girl¡¯s image bright up deeper.


    ¡°I can say the same about you. You actually made me orgasm with your dick. I can¡¯t say anything other than I¡¯m impressed,¡± the girl swiftly replied, making him glance down through the arm.


    ¡°Was I the first one?¡± He asked, Raeyine raising an eyebrow for a brisk moment.


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    ¡°Yes, you were. Does hearing that make you fulfilled?¡±


    ¡°Kind of, I guess?¡± He couldn¡¯t be sure, however, the man¡¯s figure promptly flinched away, raising himself on top of the bed. Glancing into her amber eyes for a while, they remained silent before he finally parted his lips again. ¡°I would like to spend more time talking, but Folvana wanted me to come to her room after.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, I see,¡± the girl muttered out, her smile somewhat disappointed. Still, she wasn''t dismayed at his words, soon donning a cheerful expression before nodding. ¡°Just remember to come eat with me tonight.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he said, readily staring at the lady before suddenly furrowing his brows,at the widened expressions of hers. Watching him in utter shock, her eyes shivered somewhat before he quickly asked away. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You¡­,¡± she prolonged the words, glaring into him with her squinted eyes before a smile blossomed out. ¡°You finally smiled,¡± said the maid, making his brows twitch down, his hand briskly moving to touch his lips.


    Alas, he could feel nothing other than his soft flesh, not swayed in any direction. Flowing up to the lady however, he saw her shake the head quickly, somewhat abashed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you went back as soon as I pointed it out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry,¡± he said to the girl, putting the matter away. ¡°I should really go now, I don¡¯t want her to beat me up for being too late,¡± he added, standing up in the middle of the lady¡¯s teeming laughter.


    Gradually putting on more clothing, Raeyine dressed up as well, though with a fresh pair of underwear below the uniform.


    Tightening his tie near the end and adjusting it around the collar, Lutiel swiftly dusted off his limbs before venturing towards the doors. ¡°See you later,¡± he added, grasping the handle whilst turning towards the lady one last time.


    ¡°See you later,¡± she reciprocated easily, waving lightly before he finally left the space.


    And, eyeing the doors a few rooms away, his decisive cadence rang out through the corridor, stopping a few moments later as he waited before the shabby, wooden doors.


    Three knocks rang out through the hard material, making light creases in his eyebrows as it moved before he could lead his arm back down. Then, his eyes widened, staring at the raw images before him.


    Fully naked, Folvana¡¯s red hair fell straight along the shoulders, flowing all the way towards her pinkish red nipples. Glaring at him for a moment, she swiftly parted her lips. ¡°Why did you make me wait so damn long?¡± The girl asked right as her right hand grasped the tie, pulling his figure inside before promptly shutting the doors.


    Watching with widened eyes as the girl¡¯s back stumbled towards her simple mattress that lay on the hard floor, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but traced down to see his pants growing, sighing internally at the same time.


    ¡®Haa, you just did it a few moments ago. I¡¯m meeting up with Zyponia tonight as well,¡¯ he complained in his head, initially. Getting tossed down to the bed before Folvana¡¯s stern expressions hungrily unbuckled his belt, he eased somewhat. ¡®Well, there are still a couple hours before that. I should be fine,¡¯ he mused, nippily turning to help the girl.


    ¡­


    Murkiness embodied the room softly, crawling and creeping around. Yet, it wasn¡¯t able to shroud the two figures. Lying on her side beneath the duvet, Zyponia breathed faintly. The delicate respires fell out repeatedly, her eyes closed fully.


    The bedding clung to her bare skin, albeit unable to hide all of her body, thanks to the person beside her.


    Similarly, he lay on his side, turned towards her as she was to him. Breathing lightly as well, the only difference were his eyes.


    Opened wide, he stared at the lady, glancing at her calm features for countless breaths. Sometimes forgetting to blink, the man simply kept immured in the state, watching his lady breathe in and exhale at him, hugging the pillow kept above her right arm.


    He didn¡¯t know for how many breaths he had stared at her already, but he kept doing it nonetheless. Kept in the warm peace, he wanted to do nothing but keep looking at her otherworldly beauty. Yet, as he continued, the mind only rumbled harsher than the moment prior.


    Finally, the duvet that covered them both rustled slightly, but the lady didn¡¯t respond in the slightest. The soft mattress below them made no squeaks as he started moving, sitting down before bending his body to the side.


    Once more, he stared down at her serene face for a few breaths, slowly heading towards her with his marked hand. Passing the fingers through her hair, Lutiel brushed her left cheek lightly.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± a murmur fell out from the lady suddenly, making him take the hand back as a faint crease settled across his lips.


    Steadily, his head descended towards her face, right on the smooth surface around the forehead. Pushing meekly, Lutiel kissed the lady¡¯s forehead momentarily. Already going away, her face suddenly twitched and fidgeted, the eyebrows creasing before falling silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zyponia,¡± he muttered elusively, barely raising the volume of his voice from the silence moving around them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to know. I can¡¯t leave just yet,¡± he whispered to the furrowed eyebrows slowly, looking at her face for a few breaths after.


    Coming back to normalcy, he wasn¡¯t looking at her anymore however. Turning to the curtains, Lutiel leisurely parted the ones on the side before silently moving outside. With his bare body, he scoured around the floor swiftly.


    Scattered messily, their wrinkled clothes lay everywhere. Tossed on the carpet, as well as on the boxes moved from their usual position, he retrieved the pieces one after another, eventually stumbling on something he stood over for a while.


    Glancing down at the opened collar with a key still entwined within, he lowered his naked body towards it, settling his sight into it, yet not doing anything else with the metal. Letting it simply remain there, the man promptly started getting dressed back up.


    Still, he only put on the least noise-inducing pieces. Taking the other in his arms, the man swiftly walked towards the doors, grabbing onto the handle tightly before pulling it down.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Half broken through the sleep, Zyponia¡¯s voice scattered towards the man, grasping by his heart before making it pound soundly. ¡®Calm down. You knew it would happen,¡¯ he quickly thought to himself. ¡®She can sense you leaving through magic, nothing else.¡¯ Easing his heart somewhat, he stood against the doors.


    ¡°Where are you going, Lutiel?¡± She asked softly, her eyes remaining closed.

 94. Escape 2

    ¡°I need to pee,¡± he muttered swiftly, turning his head to the side before peering at the curtained bed with lightless eyes.


    ¡°Uh huh, kay-¡± with broken words, she spoke away, quickly turning to her stomach before pulling the duvet closer to herself. Her sleep unabated from the sound of doors clicking, the man had already closed them again, moving through the no-longer quiet corridor, practically hearing his heart race from within.


    Taking as light steps as he could with bare feet, the man headed for the stairs. Albeit slow, the approach was steady, reaching the ground floor eventually.


    Glancing to the right as he entered the wholly dark space, the man fell silent for a moment.


    Yet, hearing no noises come, he promptly moved left. ¡®It should have started working by now,¡± he thought to himself after grazing through the cold floor.


    Simultaneously, he constantly headed towards his room before finally standing in front of the door. Facing it, he grasped the handle confidently before a harsh breath was let out. Opening it and moving inside, Lutiel adroitly closed it from inside.


    ¡°Light,¡± he said quietly, only to be immediately engulfed in a bask from above. No longer flickering as before, a new one had been installed under his request a few weeks prior.


    Ignoring the crystal however, Lutiel already started putting his clothes back on, promptly standing in the middle of the room in his usual attire, except for the tie, which didn¡¯t give him any advantage whatsoever. Regaining the warmth similar to Zyponia¡¯s bedding, he swiftly turned towards his desk, on which the sheathed longsword lay.


    Firstly though, he took the leather straps close to it. He put on the dark baldrick before settling the scabbard in place. Then, the man walked over to the wardrobe, lowering his body before looking underneath the furniture.


    Stretching his arm inside the gap, he swiftly pulled it back, along with a make-shift pouch made from one of his nightly shirts. Putting it over his left shoulder and crossing with the baldric, Lutiel promptly put a few fresh sets of underwear inside.


    Before letting it rest, however, he took the chair near the desk before placing it directly below the light source.


    Grasping on the cold, stone-like material, he quickly yanked it away, ripping the metallic pieces attached to the wall together with the light. Kept alight, Lutiel nodded at the dim light before getting it to die out. Tossing it to his bag, the man followed towards his bed.


    Raising the mattress, he watched the nightly shades, swiftly grabbing onto the cloak he kept hidden away. Letting the bed fall silently before he stood with the fabric in his hands, his figure suddenly turned before sitting down on the bedding¡¯s verge.


    Letting his arms plummet down to his thighs before he stared beyond the window on his left, Lutiel glanced down yet again, staring at the black cloak. Countless breaths fell out of the man before he finally flinched.


    Raising himself abruptly, he tossed the fabric to the bed, grasping on the chair¡¯s top rail and sitting beside his desk. From the drawer, he took out a singular, small page, along with a metal pen and a corked ink holder.


    Within a few moment, he started curving the ink along the page, yet, just a word after, he already hesitated, his right hand shaking meekly as it hovered over the paper.


    Still, gritting his teeth, he resumed once again. ¡®I will come back as fast as I can, I promise. I truly promise this time,¡¯ he thought to himself, glaring at the page solemnly as words crawled out from beneath his touch.


    Albeit taking a long while, finally, he stepped away from the chair, tossing the pen back to the drawer before going towards the bed yet again.


    Grasping the cloak one more time, he crumpled the fabric tightly, drawing a sharp breath before letting the material fall over his back. Covering himself with the black cloak fully, he promptly put the hood on, right before glancing at the window.


    Slowly, but surely, he went over to the sill, looking beyond the glass whilst frozen in space. His breathing practically halting itself, it staggered after finally coming to the decision.


    A seed of doubt budded within him as he peered over at the world clouded with winter. Regardless, he instantly shook his head, reaching out towards the handle and tightly grasping it. Moving it up to sit horizontally, he pulled towards himself, a nippy breath quickly engulfing him.


    Thankfully, his clothing was there to protect him from the harsh coldness.


    Even as the glittering flakes permeated through to the room and gathered on his attire, it swiftly melted away, unable to wet the fabric properly. At the same time, despite moving right at his face, some sort of a wall protected him from getting tainted by the snow.


    For another time, he released a deeper breath, quickly hatching his arm on the sill before raising the legs. One after another, Lutiel crawled out through the window, his mind racing slightly as he watched the murky night in the distance up ahead. ¡®The first step is done. Now, the stable,¡¯ he thought to himself, glancing around the wall he was holding onto before letting loose.


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    The room of his being on the ground floor, Lutiel swiftly caught his footing, sinking inside the puffy blanket of snow with a crunching noise.


    Swiftly getting close to the walls of the mansion, he walked along the path of stone slabs, circling the building before arriving towards the right side, away from the front yard, as well as the gardens. Instead, he walked cautiously between the hedgerows bulging from the faintly blue snow, illuminated by the parted skies.


    Walking through the paths, he quickly arrived in an empty space, enveloped with smaller buildings. The man quickly focused his eyes on the longest one of them all. Approaching the stables filled with a few rooms, he saw only two of them being used, the horses inside lying calmly on strands and piles of hay whilst kept behind the doors made solely from iron bars.


    Unveiled before the cold wind, they didn¡¯t wince out however, sleeping peacefully. Yet, suddenly, the pale one he arrived near opened its eyes, raising its head slightly to witness the shadows on the hooded figure.


    Before it could neigh out its panic, though, Lutiel briskly took off his hood, parting his lips as well. ¡°It¡¯s me, Runi, don¡¯t worry,¡± the man said lightly, promptly glancing over to the wooden box standing near the doors of the stall. Opening it before glancing at the plethora of bright red apples contained within, he swiftly took one of them before kneeling down and reaching the arm out towards the horse.


    ¡°Yes, come here,¡± he added, seeing as the stallion slowly raised itself off the ground, producing light noises to aid its way. Eventually, the horse quickly moved over to the man¡¯s hand, briskly nibbling on the apple whilst his other hand ruffled through its mane gently.


    ¡°Will you help me? I need to get out of here,¡± he asked whilst staring deeply into its brown eyes, only to be stared back at soundly. Eating the apple away, Runi released a quiet neigh, as if affirming the man¡¯s words.


    Nodding at the creature for a breath or so, he quickly took the keys above the container with apples before twisting the locks open. Getting inside, he went over to the wooden walls containing the horses, taking the hanged riding gear before promptly putting it on the horse.


    Albeit, he took the gear for a single rider, unlike the double one he rode tens of times with Folvana.


    Within a few minutes, the dark straps were already hanging from the horse¡¯s face, metallic stirrups dangling lightly near its belly whilst the saddle sprawled neatly across the animal¡¯s back. Running his palm across the horse¡¯s neck one last time, he guided him out of the cage by the reins, leaving the keys inside the closed doors before promptly turning to the path covered by hedgerows yet again.


    Albeit their steps sounded out through the snow, Lutiel made little effort to hide them anymore. Simply moving through the manor before reaching the front yard, they soon headed towards the dark gates. However, rather than the gates itself, the man locked his gaze at the smaller entrance of a similar architecture to the right.


    ¡®Opening it from inside should pose no threat, at least from what Raeyine told me,¡¯ he wondered for a brief moment, having caught onto the cold, dark handle. ¡®They should only feel it if someone from outside tries to force their way in,¡¯ mused Lutiel, promptly opening the smaller gate and letting the horse move together with him.


    However, as he began to retrieve the metal back to its original state, the man hesitated. ¡®If I close it now, there¡¯s no going back,¡¯ he ruminated for a while, only for the gate to click shut.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be back. Stay safe, everyone,¡¯ he thought, quickly putting his left foot in the stirrup. Jumping to sit on the saddle calmly, he swiftly nestled his right foot inside as well, putting his hood back on before grabbing the reins.


    ¡°Go,¡± he uttered lightly, however, it was all the horse needed. With the simplest of commands, it briskly dug through the snow, easily warming up its well-rested muscles to stride through the darkened forest.


    Clenching his jaw whilst looking ahead of himself solemnly as the snow tried to battle through his attires, Lutiel gripped the leather reins even tighter. Galloping through the murky path slowly, he only used the light bouncing of the snow as his guidance, moving away from the mansion with each breath.


    He couldn¡¯t glance back, not anymore at least. Had he opened the gates yet again, they would quickly understand the situation.


    ¡®This is my only chance,¡¯ he judged, glancing up at the moon hanging between the skies before lightly tossing the reins at the horse, gradually growing in pace. Coming closer to the pale fur, he battled through the wind together with his new companion.


    Countless breaths and thoughts passed away, swallowed by the deep of the night until the duo finally broke from the woods. Practically clinging to the animal as he increased the speed once more, Lutiel stared ahead of him with clear eyes, opened wider than usual as he scoured through the nightly scape ahead of them.


    ¡®Sheila, you better be there.¡¯


    ¡­


    ¡°Mmm,¡± a short mumble escaped through the curtains, flowing across the room before dying out eventually. Yet, the girl that released it rustled about in the duvet, adjusting and pulling it to accommodate herself. Playing around in the red sheen coming through the undulating drapes, Zyponia¡¯s figure gradually hesitated to keep asleep.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± stretching out her limbs quickly, she finally groaned. Staying in the position for a while, the girl simply nestled in the bed as her breaths passed along the bed.


    Yet, her eyes opened out of nowhere, vehemently looking through the place around her. ¡°Lutiel?¡± She muttered out questioningly, staring at the bulky bedding before her. Lifting it up however, all she saw were empty sheets.


    A brisk look flashed inside her eyes, the eyebrows immuring in place before she raised herself from the position.


    Parting the curtains and walking out bare, Zyponia glanced around the space hastily. Her sullen face only worsened the more she witnessed, souring especially as the eyes fell atop the collar on the floor. Lying opened up, something screamed to the lady as she kept her sights on top of it.


    Swiftly, her legs started to move through the space, arriving near her late night¡¯s attire before all of the pieces flew up her body within a breath. Zyponia rushed herself immediately. Taking a single step forward, she already appeared close to the doors, going through them like a ram.

 95. Escape 3

    Her solemn figure swooshed through the corridor, a waft following her all the way towards the stairs and below. Running along the path towards her slave¡¯s room, the already sour face festered further, slowly turning dismal as her eyebrows churned eerily.


    Finally, as her harsh breaths lingered soundly through the space, she stood right in front of his door, waiting. ¡°Lutiel,¡± she called out suddenly, lowering her face somewhat. However, hearing no response after tens of breaths had passed, she parted her lips once again, grinding the emotions on her face. ¡°Lutiel, are you there?¡± She asked, only to linger in the vacant air.


    ¡°Come out, please, before I use the brand,¡± her voice turned lighter as she softened up around the brows, alas, no voice came forth from beyond the closed doors.


    Quickly, a mellow light came from her hand, growing silently before bouncing off the wood. Yet, her eyes could only widen away whilst the brows creased vehemently. Glancing at the handle that didn¡¯t work, Zyponia suddenly parted her mouth, staying that way for a while.


    ¡°N-no, there is no way. No, no, please, don¡¯t do this,¡± she kept muttering out, briskly taking her hand towards the keyhole. Appearing out of nowhere, a ball of water hovered over her palm, floating about whilst changing swiftly.


    Forming a small key, before long, it ventured inside the hole. Turning right away, the doors clicked before she pushed them inside, instantly stepping into his room.


    -


    On the other side of the ground floor, a certain door opened up, quickly revealing a figure. Unlike usual, her hair was somewhat unkempt, a few strands falling out. Similarly, she rubbed her fingers along the eyes, easing up the dark wrinkles underneath.


    ¡°What was that noise?¡± Raeyine asked herself dazedly, only to abruptly settle her vision through the space, as if a bucket of cold water washed over her. The girl quickly moved through the space, arriving towards the area in less than a minute, her hastened breath falling out as she walked through the left open door of Lutiel.


    She witnessed the room quickly, covered in snow all around the opened window, some flakes still flowing inside. ¡°What happened here?¡± She suddenly asked whilst turning to the left. However, seeing the demonic lady sitting in the chair, leaning over the note in her right hand, she couldn¡¯t help but shut her lips silently.


    Watching as the tears fell down and tainted the note¡¯s page, her eyebrows flowed, together with her widening eyes. Quickly, she glanced at the reddened edges of the lord¡¯s eyes, parting her lips at the same time. ¡°Zyponia, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Hearing the question, the lady¡¯s straight face slowly turned towards the source of the voice, promptly staring ahead as the droplets continued to teem down her face. Shifting into a broken smile, her voice split unsteadily.


    ¡°He betrayed me as well, Raeyi, ¡± she whispered out, breathing roughly at the end before smearing her eyes away. ¡°I want to go home already, I can¡¯t stand it here anymore,¡± the girl added, only flinching as her head maid promptly walked towards her.


    Her hair swaying about as she was suddenly apprehended by her hug, the widened eyes slowly fell down, closing lightly before she drowned in the embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine,¡± Raeyine spoke softly, caressing the back of her head.


    ¡°We can arrange a ship any time you want,¡± she added, only for the girl to fidget around in her arms. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Please, read it. I was only able to finish the first sentence,¡± with a sobbing voice, she battled through her runny nose, rubbing out the fluids running across the face with her sleeved hand.


    ¡°...Sure,¡± albeit hesitantly, Raeyine voiced out, slowly approaching the page dotted with wet stains. Her eyes traced the lines nippily, the eyebrows creasing deeper whilst gradually approaching the bottom of the page.


    ¡°Ahh,¡± she staggered in response, however, Zyponia¡¯s eager eyes hammered down at her. Not closing her mouth, she continued on. ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s actually the case,¡± Raeyine said, unassured, making the girl furrow her eyes deeply, rubbing the eyes one last time before falling into a faint anger.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She let out, slightly harsher than usual.


    ¡°Well, he did run away on his own, but he promised to come back as soon as he can,¡± Raeyine revealed to the lady, whose eyes suddenly shook between the page and her face.


    Drenched in deeper confusion than before, her eyes glimmered out before stopping at Raeyine once again. ¡°He did? Are you sure?¡± She asked twice, freezing around the amber eyes with pinching fingers.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the maid confirmed, nodding lightly before seeing the lady below lower her head slightly. Yet, not a few moments later, she already sprung back at her.


    ¡°B-but, he still ran away without a single word beforehand. Why couldn¡¯t he say anything?¡± She spoke out noisier than a breath prior, the tears around her eyes forming anew, albeit not flowing as briskly.


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    Quickly rubbing them away with her thumbs, Raeyine smiled with a sighing face, glancing at her poor lady for a moment. ¡°Because it¡¯s a personal matter. He couldn¡¯t reveal it, even though he wanted to numerous times from what he wrote.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Humming out with glaring eyes, she raised herself at Raeyine once again. ¡°What bullshit. I would have easily allowed him to go if he just asked-,¡± Zyponia said, only to stop out of nowhere and fall silent. A somber expression fitted itself again whilst looking at her maid.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know anymore. Maybe I wasn¡¯t able to get to know him enough. Maybe he actually remembers his past and simply lied to us? What if he actually hates us?¡± She asked the girl, defeat sprawling all across her face, only for the tall maid to bring her head closer to her body.


    ¡°Be hopeful. That¡¯s all you can do. Then, ask when he comes back and gets comfortable enough to speak about. He apologized three times in the note, and a lot of times that he would get back soon. Don¡¯t worry, alright? Who cares if you don¡¯t know about his past? Even if you think otherwise, you still know a lot about him, no?¡± The girl spoke away, making Zyponia¡¯s face dig through her uniform as she listened silently.


    Yet, as soon as she finished, the demon lord pulled away, glancing at the girl with a blank face before speaking up. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was already scared he secretly hated me for making him my slave, but this only fueled the feeling. He got his hands on an item that blocks our connection, you know?¡± She said, making Raeyine fall back to the paper.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cloak he got from a demon in the city,¡± she said suddenly, to which Zyponia kept her mouth open. Glancing at the paper, the maid smiled swiftly, promptly handing it over to her.  ¡°Just read it properly already, he¡¯s not like them,¡± adding, she saw her lady hesitate, simply pushing it into her hands.


    Albeit uncertain at a first glance, Zyponia¡¯s eyes slowly fell down to the page, reading through the words one after another before a smile started to blossom around her face. ¡°You¡­ really,¡± she muttered in the middle of the page, only to crease her eyebrows.


    ¡°What?¡± The lord said aloud suddenly, looking up at Raeyine. She only shrugged her shoulders however. ¡°The revolutionaries will attack the fortress and try to take over the mines on the day of the tournament, under the distraction of explosions around the city, as well as the fake attack on the docks, which I was meant to misguide you on,¡± she started reciting the last words, falling silent for a while.


    ¡°He must have gotten close to the army,¡± Raeyine suddenly spoke out, her lord nodding a breath later before rummaging through the note with her eyes once again.


    ¡°That¡¯s what concerns me the most,¡± she said with solemn eyes. ¡°They probably made him undergo an oath, whoever the demon is. They wouldn¡¯t risk any chances of exposing themselves to me, and they most likely won¡¯t appear on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°If there even will be a fight,¡± on the side, Raeyine added before Zyponia turned to her, finally standing up. ¡°We can¡¯t just increase the guards near the place or they would back off. We should make them hide deep in the mines-,¡± she started speaking again, the demon lord stopping her abruptly.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want us to know about it for that,¡± she said, furrowing the maid¡¯s face.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± She asked, somewhat confused before seeing the girl shake her head slightly.


    ¡°Folvana said Lutiel can¡¯t stand death. He knew that this was nothing more than an execution for the human side, so he wanted us to stop it beforehand. We will increase the visible guards all around the fortress and the mines,¡± Zyponia judged whilst it was Raeyine to fall into silence this time.


    However, wondering for a while, she sighed weakly before nodding. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s fine as well, even though I hate those brutes.¡±


    Smiling at her lightly, the girl shook her head before placing the note back on Lutiel¡¯s desk. Then, she turned to watch the opened window. Turning somewhat somber again, she didn¡¯t linger on the emotion for long, however.


    Closing it swiftly, she promptly swept her hands, gathering all of the snow before compacting it into a cluster.


    Immediately, it started to melt away, turning into a clear sphere Zyponia moved around the air. Yet, suddenly disappearing, she moved towards his bed, adjusting the bedding and pillows to make them neat and tidy.


    Still, putting the last pillow on top, she suddenly raised her head frantically. A breath later, her eyebrows soured harshly.


    Watching from the side, Raeyine¡¯s face fidgeted as well. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked promptly, only for the girl to turn towards the doors.


    ¡°Genor arrived,¡± said Zyponia, making the maid part her mouth and linger there for a moment. ¡°Follow me,¡± she added whilst leaving the room, to which the staggered girl briskly broke away from her thoughts.


    ¡°Ah, wait a second-¡± she nudged the lady, but Zyponia didn¡¯t turn around, moving hastily through the unlit corridor whilst a maid chased after her. Yet, finally getting close to the demon lord, they promptly walked out of the mansion.


    A sprawling sight invited itself to their eyes, reverberating across the field of white. Beyond the dark gates with rounded, white spikes atop, a large carriage pulled by four horses waited steadily, together with a duo of armored guards driving the front two.


    Set in random places on top of their helmets, single dark horns protruded. Changing briskly as their heads angled themselves towards the demon lord, the eyes within the slits focused on the lady, who walked out through the snow with bare feet.


    Albeit, as soon as she placed a step, the snow around her melted immediately, not a single droplet of water getting anywhere close to her flesh. Walking towards the gates with Raeyine strictly following behind her, she promptly raised her right arm, followed by a screeching tumult as the gates allowed the bluish carriage inside.


    The wheels turned swiftly as the horses breathed white steam out. Going through before the entrance could open fully, as the black metal settled, the carriage was already halfway through inside. And, finally arriving before the small fountain, the guards pulled back on their reins, forcefully stopping the horses.


    Crossing her arms whilst standing there with a stern face, Zyponia watched the blue doors open up slowly, a figure finally revealing itself.


    Blending in the shades below, the glint his armor released made her eyes twitch slightly before adjusting. The man steadily approached the ground steadily, quickly stopping in his tracks before heading for the metallic feathers on each side of his helmet.


    Light-blue hairs slowly fell down on top of his palish face, together with the light smile that settled across his mouth as he tossed the helmet to one of the guards after walking ahead.

 96. Escape 4

    In the armor that clung directly to his figure, the male demon lord approached the two girls slowly, lingering around them readily. And, as he finally stepped past the fountain, the smile on his face intensified.


    Hesitating just a step before the girl, his arms opened up, his lips parting as well. ¡°Sister, we haven¡¯t seen each other for so long,¡± he said, briskly stumbling forward to close his arms around her. Yet, they could only hit each other, Zyponia suddenly moving to the side whilst glaring up at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she quickly spat out, creasing her eyebrows down at his light expression. ¡°The last time we saw each other, you were eager to see my servant die,¡± she said aloud, only for him to shake his head away whilst getting up to an erect back.


    ¡°It hurts me you think of me that way,¡± he quickly spoke back, only to turn into a somewhat amused expression. ¡°I knew he was going to get attacked, so I was only curious about his abilities. Well, whatever, he¡¯s actually one of the reasons I arrived early. Is he out on an errand?¡± Genor said, promptly locking eyes with his sister.


    Alas, the light in them turned somewhat deathly, falling back to the ground before speaking out. ¡°He ran away yesterday, in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± A prompt tongue fell from the man, his jaw clenched slightly. Staring at Zyponia for a while, he finally turned to Raeyine, alas, she nodded as well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move inside. I¡¯m guessing you want to know more,¡± the maid spoke up, raising her lady¡¯s head somewhat.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± muttering out with a slight nod, Genor swiftly followed the two inside, leaving his guards stationary on the horses.


    Another depth was added to the piles of snow on the ground as the clouds passed by slowly, stopping reluctantly, although eventually. Meanwhile, the three sat on the couches around the table, ignoring the steam escaping from the cups.


    ¡°I see,¡± he spoke tersely, lightly gazing around the faces of the duo. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, I really wanted to have a talk with that little boyfriend of you-¡±


    Starting to speak away, he was swiftly shut on the lips however, by none other than a Zyponia with glaring eyes. Still, waiting for a while, she simply sighed. ¡°Haa, what is that you wanted to speak about?¡± Asking while gazing into him, her brows turned slightly.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing, really,¡± he spat out, leaning on the cushions before slowly supporting the back of his head with his hands. ¡°He just looked eerily close to that guy working with the aal. It¡¯s been more than ten years since our ¡®hero¡¯ disappeared, so I was quite curious,¡± he spoke casually, swiftly deepening the furrows around her.


    ¡°He¡¯s not Raphael,¡± Zyponia said briskly, not losing the intensity of her gaze despite him slowly retrieving the eyes and raising an eyebrow at her. ¡°I was also wondering about that, but I can assure you he only looks similar to him. His blood has a wholly different trace of mana.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? What if he found a way to deceive you despite having a brand and just hides his past? He bought that cloak for a reason, no?¡± The man pried, slowly breaking the adamant features of Zyponia. Feeling the intense blaze radiating from Raeyine¡¯s eyes, though, he simply slumped forward whilst halting his tongue.


    ¡°I fought the sword hero before, so I can attest to Zyponia. Lutiel¡¯s mana is definitely different compared to his,¡± she said, leaving the man to sigh as he again leaned his head on the cushion of the couch.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± he muttered, making the ladies shake their heads at him in exhaustion. ¡°I was still curious about him. The way he fought after the humans attacked us was similar to him,¡± Genor revealed, silence prevailing through the living room.


    ¡°What?¡± Zyponia whispered out suddenly, her eyes meekly widened. ¡°What did you say?¡± She asked, quickly raising her head to stare into the smirk he released.


    ¡°Were you not aware? Right before losing consciousness, he slashed his sword in the same style as the sword hero, exactly the same,¡± the man said, smiling brightly whilst leaving the girl in deep ponder. With a parted mouth, Zyponia wasn¡¯t able to mutter anything out.


    ¡­


    In the middle of a bleak whiteness, the beast ran, leaving divots in the snow each breath it released. As harsh as they sounded however, the animal kept running, battling through the unbeaten road whilst the man guided its moves.


    Gazing ahead, Lutiel saw nothing but snow all around. They had already passed the mountains, but it was more of the same as on the other side. Fields along the hills, entwined with forests that covered most of the horizon. ¡®At this speed, with breaks, we should reach the holy capital in about eight days,¡¯ he thought, promptly looking down at the fluttering mane of his horse.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fast one, Runi,¡± he spoke away as they slowed down, caressing the hair before hearing him break out a proud neigh. Then, Lutiel raised his head forward, staring at the ashen clouds brushing through the skies. Sighing lightly, he still took in the warm gleam from the disappearing sun.


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    Simultaneously, he listened to the harshened breaths of the horse. With a swift decision, he changed their direction slightly. Rather than going straight ahead, he nudged the horse a bit to the right, where a leafless forest scattered out.


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re almost there,¡± tapping on the reins ever so slightly, his voice guided the creature to a greater pace, flowing through the deep blanket of snow along the roads. They neared the forest steadily, closing their line of sight more and more.


    A few minutes passed with the horse galloping strongly, however, he could finally rest, his nose releasing deep puffs of steam while Lutiel tied him to a tree with a rope he took from the pouch on the side of the saddle.


    Yet, before going over and making a quick nest for himself, he firstly took off the bag made from his nightshirt, dangling it above the snow and immediately melting it away. Made similarly close to the butler¡¯s suit he kept wearing, the beg never allowed itself to get wet for too long, swiftly drying on its own.


    Revealing a relatively large patch of meekly green grass, the horse didn¡¯t prolong its actions, digging through the soil to refill its stomach. On the other hand, the man finally got to work, starting to thaw out more ground.


    Still, not a few breaths later, his eyebrows twitched, briskly turning around at the neighs Runi produced. The area underneath him cleared out thoroughly, the horse breathed out deeply towards the man.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming,¡± he said softly before untying the animal. Letting him clear out the grass just above the soil, he made himself an area to camp properly. Gathering the branches from the sleeping trees with his blade, he put the bag over them, sucking out most of the moisture.


    The clouds changed hastily as he scavenged through the woods, all while the disappearing sun had long since hid away. Regardless, he didn¡¯t fret. Sitting on a dead log he had brought over to the fire, his hands slowly rotated the small animal impaled upon three sharp sticks.


    Cooking the skinned rabbit he had caught below the moon, the flames described his straight face, leaving no emotions to the world as he watched the juices flare up on the ashy charcoal below the fresh pile of cut up branches.


    The man then turned slowly towards the horse, seeing it sleeping on its legs, only to gaze back at the rabbit meat after scouring through the serene beast.


    Back and forth, he rotated the rabbit¡¯s sprawled out body, gradually browning the meat. As soon as charred spots began to dot around the thing, he finally impaled the stick in the ground, watching as his fresh meal steamed away towards the murky skies.


    Promptly taking the glove of his left hand off, he took the cut around one of the legs, twisting it apart before starting to munch on it. Steadily devouring the fairly large portion of meat, Lutiel tossed the bones of each part back to the flames, only to start another one.


    Going through it all, he finally raised himself, standing around the space for a while. Suddenly glancing up, in between the bald crowns, the man followed with his eyes towards the moon, lingering on the dark clouds it illuminated through its radiance.


    Hesitating to go back down to the dimming warmth underneath, he simply kept his gaze at it, watching as the peaceful skies flowed through it.


    Nonetheless, his face descended with enough time, tossing his sight around the small shelter he made for himself from longer pieces of wood. Slowly getting under the roof before sitting on the hard, thick branches, Lutiel lay on his back, staring at the roof filled with gaps and crannies.


    He didn¡¯t cover them. Pulling the cloak closer to his body, he wrapped himself inside whilst turning to the side, using his left hand as a pillow. His sword, on the other hand, lay sheathed underneath the makeshift bed.


    Slowly, his eyes began to close, fidgeting as exhaustion took over. Unable to battle the warm sensations coming from the suit, Lutiel simply gave in. While the fire hesitantly dimmed out into the darkness and the moon turned, he swiftly parted his eyes however.


    Sprung open fully, he scoured through the meek night, seeing the tall trees around bend somewhat, whistling under the strain. Together with them, a mellow rustle came, to which Lutiel briskly moved his arms. Flowing down to the ground, he quickly threw himself off the bed, rolling through the new snow that covered the prior ashes.


    At the same time, he grit his teeth after hearing the deafening roar, coming together with a drowned out thud as his shelter collapsed. ¡°Light!¡± The man shouted briskly after rummaging through his bag, a great tide of rays washing over the space to make him witness the beast.


    Immediately as the staggering monster fell down with its front paws on the snowy roof, the roar threw out strings of saliva, Runi churning out startled noises as it tried to run away from the space.


    Clenching his jaw whilst glancing between the sights, he couldn¡¯t help his horse in the slightest, watching as the monster already accelerated towards him. A guttural roar scattered out, the bear running straight on the man unable to unsheathe his weapon.


    Directly in front of him, the beast¡¯s paw descended at him with ferocious speeds, however, the man looked up with clear sights. Holding the blade horizontally by the flat parts, his flesh vibrated initially, absorbing the shock coming from the paw twice the size of his head.


    Regardless, glancing at the gruesome maw salivating at him, Lutiel didn¡¯t abate in the slightest. Rather, he pushed his legs forward suddenly, tripping the brown fur somewhat before ducking underneath the arms. His right foot acted briskly, kicking its exposed stomach before it staggered a response.


    As soon as the sole sank in the fur and met the flesh, the beast fell on its back, making lutiel quickly run back, skillfully untying the rope around his horse. Watching as the horse ran away through the night, his right palm grabbed the pommel, unsheathing his sword whilst turning around.


    Flowing into a stance, he slashed down promptly. As soon as their strengths battled yet again, his arms tightened up, gripping through the sword¡¯s leather as hard as he could. Yet, watching a red stain verge about along his blade, Lutiel swiftly pulled the sword down harsher, grazing across the cut open paw.

 97. Escape 5

    Growling away from the sudden pain, the beast¡¯s roar grew quickly, together with its movements. Using the left paw instead, it delivered a blow at the man whose sword was still hovering around the snow.


    Yet, suddenly twisting his knees and hips, Lutiel thrust it up, heading for the darkened skin underneath the paw. Blood splattered instantly while the bear roared egregiously, the blade protruding to the other side.


    However, the man swiftly pulled his weapon out, watching as the bear almost immediately tried to drag it away. Clenching both hands around the hilt tightly, his lowered body readily replied to any twitches of the beast.


    Once the bear lurched forward, he quickly dodged to the side and lowered himself even further, ducking under the claws slashing through the air. Then, he pierced through the fur, creating a shallow gash along the creature¡¯s right side.


    ¡°GRRRRR!¡± Roaring away, it didn¡¯t stop. Despite yet another injury appearing on its fur, the beast cascaded at the prey below it. Creating a gale from the force it generated, the right paw swiftly tossed the snow away, digging through the soil. Albeit, the nimble hood escaped once more, followed by a slash heading at the limb.


    However, before Lutiel could truly arrive, the left paw made his eyes flinch. Moving right at his sword, he was made to jump back, stopping just barely before a tree. Yet, he once more clenched his jaw before tossing himself to the ground, the bear¡¯s chase ending as it had already slashed at the bark.


    Splintering away completely, the trunk briskly descended to the ground, at the space where Lutiel lay. Still, right before it could turn him into a paste, the man got away. Watching as the snow speedily scattered away from the fall, he couldn¡¯t get distracted however.


    The bear wasn¡¯t ahead of him anymore, vehemently approaching where Runi ran off.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He cursed internally, quickly heading after the fluttering fur of the beast. With his remote light kept in the bag from earlier, though, he didn¡¯t slow down despite being on unknown grounds, running between the trees.


    With his steps tossing out the snow beneath him, each of them powerful enough to send him more than one ahead, Lutiel achieved a pace that made even him stagger around the eyes. Especially after seeing that the furred monster got closer instead of further away from him.


    ¡®What is this speed? My previous body wouldn¡¯t be able to handle even half of it. Yet, I¡¯m breathing so easily right now,¡¯ he mused, only to speed up even further. Although he almost crashed into a few of the trees, it didn¡¯t matter.


    Tossing his eyes down at the bear, the beast was abruptly startled. Turning its head around in the middle of the hunt to see the commotion behind, its pace diminished as it saw the human. Growling whilst readying its paw to swat the pesky human, they met a breath later.


    However, it winced almost immediately, the speeds at which Lutiel was approaching together with his prepared weapon simply too much for the limb to handle. Aiming the tip right at the wrist, all of his momentum stopped, transferred to the blade instead.


    With a precise cut added on, he cut through the half of the limb, making the paw part slightly. Whimpering with high-pitched growls, the beast turned enraged, swinging the same claw at him. Albeit, the rash decision quickly met another disaster.


    Slashing once more at the wound, despite not using too much of his strength, Lutiel went through the paw, dropping it to the ground. Warmth escaped from the blood, briskly melting some of the snow before resting upon the white blanket.


    With how much of it dripped from the clear wound however, a puddle formed briskly. The monster¡¯s black eyes lingered around its decapitated paw, nippily raising its head before wrinkling the dark nose.


    Growling deeply before roaring, the bear started yet again, throwing itself at the human. Although it lacked


    perfect mobility, the pain hadn¡¯t made it any slower. Rather, the anger it released gave it more vigour. Arriving towards the man, it swung once more, leaving deep impressions in a tree behind him from its sharp, black claws.


    However, it wasn¡¯t able to target Lutiel. Having jumped to the side in the perfect moment, he promptly appeared behind the beast, clenching his jaw whilst meeting the tough flesh around the back. Still, pushing through with the blade, he successfully attacked the area around its nape.


    Pulling out once a sufficient portion of the blade went through, he stepped back as the beast briskly turned at him. One more time, it swung down with its paw, however, it was more of the same. Despite having more size and strength, it wasn¡¯t able to harm the nimble human.


    A slash of the claws came forth, only for the harsh blade to part its furry skin away. Swinging down at the empty ground, snow splattered out and the bear winced with growls once more, feeling more of its neck getting nicked and slashed apart.


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    Yet, the most damage still came from the front right limb. Because of the cold and their strife, nothing stopped the blood from escaping. More and more, minute after minute, the blood piled underneath the beast, tainting the snow as they circled around the area.


    The hooded man stood still, his sword raised in the air whilst looking ahead at the monster that slowly turned sluggish with each step it took. Regardless, he knew it wasn¡¯t enough to stop the incredible mass it carried behind itself.


    Both frozen in place, they calmly watched ahead of themselves, staring at the enemy solemnly. Gripping his sword tighter, Lutiel brought it closer to his right shoulder.


    On the other side, the beast kept on three limbs, lowering its body slightly whilst a grim expression resided on its face. Staring hatefully at the human ahead of itself, a quick roar escaped its throat before the beast lurched forward, the man doing the same.


    Running at each other, both of their eyes became filled with a sole desire. To decimate the one before them.


    Slashing with his sword before he could meet with the animal, the bear did the exact same, using its left paw to cut the wind apart.


    The man respired lightly as a breath was skipped. Standing in the middle of the trees with the glowing bag illuminating his surroundings, Lutiel watched ahead of himself once again, this time, at the shadowy tree standing in the horizon.


    His sword lowered down beside his knees, he promptly gazed down, glancing at himself before witnessing the clothes, bloody dots scattered throughout. Then, he turned towards his weapon, scouring through the cold blade dripping with crimson droplets.


    Finally, a soft sigh escaped his mouth, turning around before the beast resounded in his pupils. Lying on the snow lifelessly, the left paw was no longer attached to the front leg, together with the head. Slowly dripping out blood towards the soil, the corpse was promptly approached by the man.


    Standing over it with calm eyes, Lutiel watched the beast for a while, at the same time doing faint motions.


    Slowly, he reached with the tip of his blade towards the snow, placing it ahead of himself before putting both of his palms on top of the pommel. Gazing at the ground, he closed his eyes before remaining in the position, only breaking away after a few breaths.


    ¡°I still have a long way to go,¡± he muttered to himself, promptly taking off his left glove before getting to the ground. Cupping the snow, Lutiel swiftly cleaned the shining metal back to its prime, no blood lingering on it. Then, he quickly rubbed it over his thigh, drying the weapon. Unable to sheathe it for now since he left the scabbard near the camp, the man parted his lips first, surrounding them with his gloves.


    ¡°Runi! Where are you?¡± His voice briskly rang through the forest, flowing in between the trees before dispersing into complete silence.


    No response came forth, however, he had already expected it. ¡®My best chance would be to simply go in the same path he ran off to,¡¯ he thought, promptly looking around before settling at the space to the right. He quickly started moving off to the direction, passing through the trees one by one.


    Yet, as he went beyond just ten of them, he suddenly stopped, turning off his light with a whisper before hiding behind one of the trees, gazing to the side from the footsteps he heard a moment ago.


    Lingering around the area for a while, his heart didn¡¯t stop racing whatsoever, rushing in anticipation even further as the steps dissipated.


    ¡°Hey¡­ are you a human?¡± Out of nowhere, he turned ahead of him, his widened eyes staring at the dainty figure. Kept in a long, green cloak veiling almost all of her except for the head, the deeply yellow hair flowed in waves along the fabric.


    Smiling away as she asked, he almost didn¡¯t recognize her as a demon. If not for the single, curved horn on her head, the pale complexion would have made his mind stumble for answers. Still, raising her yellow brows whilst waiting for an answer, he steadied his face before deeply glancing into the verdant eyes.


    ¡®They shouldn¡¯t hurt me if I say I¡¯m a human, but¡­¡¯ He wondered briskly, constantly peering into the gem-like irises inside her eye sockets. ¡°In, tis li in,¡± Lutiel uttered through the shadowed hood, slowly revealing his face as the words fell out.


    With a nippy change of expressions, the girl¡¯s face fell beck, she herself leaning away slightly after truly seeing his figure. Still, moving back to the previous one, she parted her lips anew, speaking fully in demonic this time. ¡°Why were you screaming in the human tongue a few seconds ago, then?¡±


    Once again, his face didn¡¯t turn from the straight mien, however, he opened up the eyelids somewhat. ¡°I was searching for my horse. The dealer said he only reacts to aseunish.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she hummed, squinting her eyes somewhat whilst scouring through his figure. Going up and down quickly along his chest however, the girl briskly sprung up back into his eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s your core?¡± She asked suddenly, opening her eyes further whilst staring at him casually.


    Immediately, the man¡¯s face fell silent, his eyebrows twitching and furrowing before dropping faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t have one. I¡¯m a cripple. Is that enough for you?¡± He whispered out, somewhat somber before the girl straightened out her back.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough, I¡¯m sorry for that,¡± she replied, quickly engulfing him with silence whilst staring at his image. However, a few breaths of quietude later, she turned around, gazing through the darkness as though it was a fluttering curtain.


    Widening somewhat before calming down, her eyes kept staring at the place. ¡°Are you telling me you defeated that beast? With only that sword of yours?¡± She asked without moving away.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke tersely, somewhat quietly. Letting his tongue run through her mind, she wondered silently for a while, changing the angles meekly a sparse few times.


    ¡°Was your horse white?¡± Turning around, she asked suddenly, watching a swift nod fall out of him before smiling from ear to ear.

 98. Away 1

    ¡°We stumbled upon it in our camp. He¡¯s together with my companions at the moment,¡± she said, making his eyes spark up. Before he spoke anything though, her voice stumbled through the trees once more.


    ¡°However, before we give it back to you, what do you think of working with us? I think we¡¯re moving in the same direction anyways, and it¡¯s safer to go in a group. You certainly wouldn¡¯t experience an encounter like this a second time.¡±


    ¡°Working? Why would you need someone like me?¡± He asked, especially speaking out the second part. Yet, the girl¡¯s smile blossomed even further.


    ¡°We¡¯re delivering something very special to Falia, and we need every little help we can find in case someone ambushes us, you will also play as an unexpected factor,¡± she said, making his eyebrows flutter momentarily, however, the man didn¡¯t reject the offer immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯m indeed heading there as well. How long will it take you?¡± He inquired briskly, settling his sight deeply into her face. And, receiving the solemn glances, the girl kept her smile going.


    ¡°Six days from this point on. We could get there in four, but we¡¯re taking the safe route,¡± she replied, making him silent again. Although, he soon tossed out a nod.


    ¡°I can agree to that, but I need to go back to my camp first. I left my scabbard during the fight,¡± he said, only to stay in the middle of her lacklustre responses, watching the grin sprawl away before she reached behind her with the left arm.


    Suddenly, he heard the wind whistle out, despite it being calm throughout the whole night. But, as he listened in on the sound, Lutiel swiftly turned towards the girl¡¯s pearly white teeth. Soon enough, his assumptions came true, seeing the scabbard stop roughly in her left palm, having arrived all the way from his camp.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± she said, quickly tossing the hard leather towards him.


    Grasping it with the free hand, the man sheathed his sword before putting it inside the loops of his baldric, all veiled beneath his dark cloak. Simultaneously finishing, he heard the girl approach him closer than before, stepping right before his figure and stretching out her right arm.


    Despite seeing its paleness, he focused on something else however. Watching the curved, white spike protrude towards the wrist, he couldn¡¯t help but stagger a reply.


    Still, she was the first to speak out. ¡°Haness. And you?¡± Asking with a light smile, the girl didn¡¯t need to wait long before Lutiel tightly embraced her hand. Shaking them, he quickly parted his lips.


    ¡°Kanthier. Shall we go to your group now?¡± Introducing himself, he quickly nudged Haness, making her nod calmly before retracting the arm.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not that far off from here. Some of the guys are still on night watch while most are sleeping,¡± She said, gesturing from him to follow her back in the middle of the night. However, with the moon brushing past, he could easily describe her green features.


    ¡°Though, we will depart soon. It¡¯s not good to stay in the same place for long, even if there are little bandits here. We can¡¯t risk our mission,¡± she kept mumbling on while Lutiel listened keenly, unable to stop himself from asking away.


    ¡°What is it that you¡¯re delivering?¡± Letting the question fall out, he was instantly met with a sprawling silence, only their steps heard through the snow. Still, turning around whilst keeping apace, Haness grinned in his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret. I¡¯m warning you, if you try to see what¡¯s inside the carriage, your head is going off your neck. That rule applies to anyone on our team, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he spoke lightly, yet with a stern face, making her chuckle soundly before turning around again.


    ¡°Good,¡± Haness muttered out in between the laughter, steadily going on their way through the trees, finally making his eyes sparkle out a gleam from beyond. Staring at the orange flames fluttering harshly, the images slowly unveiled themselves more and more, eventually watching the three tents scattered around the campfire.


    Beyond them, Lutiel saw a large, horse-carried vehicle, somewhat similar to the ones he saw with city merchants. Devised solely for transport of the goods, it left little space for people. Rather, they used one of the eight horses connected to it.


    At the same time as they had entered the camp depleted of any snow whatsoever, movements rattled after one of the two near the fire vehemently stood up from the log he was sitting on.


    Despite his brawny frame, the man carried himself similarly to the girl. A simple, large cloak of a single, gray shade lingered down on him, waving steadily from his heavy approach. Glaring down at the two with his plain, black scleras and seemingly no eyes, his blue face rang out to the guest Haness had invited over.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± The deep voice of his asked promptly, settling his sight on the girl before burrowing even deeper into Lutiel.


    ¡°The owner of the horse. I got him to help us with our mission,¡± she said proudly, however, the man simply clenched his jaw tighter before opening the lips, releasing a displeased snort.


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    ¡°What? He¡¯s a cripple, how is he meant to help us?¡± He asked, repeatedly gazing through Lutiel. Albeit, seeing no clues around the purple eyes, he simply turned back to the lady.


    ¡°He fought and won against a bear that was even bigger than you. Without a single scratch at that. Besides, he¡¯s going to the same destination as us,¡± she swiftly explained, only for the man to snort once again.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about him. For all we¡¯re aware of, he could be a spy for some bandits targeting us,¡± he said, grinding through his teeth lightly. ¡°You¡¯re only bringing trouble, as alwa-¡± he suddenly stopped spouting, the lips shut as though invisible fingers pinched them.


    Fidgeting before bringing his large hand to the mouth, he couldn¡¯t do anything, however. Simply putting on a pair of irritated eyes, he turned around.


    Leaning a little to the side, Haness saw the same sight, smiling even more after seeing the second man stand up from the campfire. ¡°Stop bickering already. It¡¯s my decision if he stays in the end,¡± the man said, his purple face glimmering out beneath the fire¡¯s light.


    With eyes and short hair that blended with the murky clouds, he wore more of the same as his team, a plain, dark cloak. Albeit, unlike the two, who carried themselves without anything, his right hand grasped upon a long, wooden staff, its material spiraling all around before nestling a dim, violet gem at the top.


    Pointing it down at the ground, the man with a small horn above his right ear parted his lips after moving close to the duo.


    ¡°Where do you come from?¡± He asked, locking gazes with the newcomer. The other two of his group tightly shutting their lips, they listened intently whilst turning straight at his white hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he uttered, however, making the man in front of him flinch his eyebrows slightly. Keeping his head down in the same way as before, he continued.


    ¡°How come? You don¡¯t know how you came here?¡± Or when?¡± Once more, he asked, only to furrow at the same result.


    ¡°No,¡± Lutiel replied tersely, at the same time shaking his head. Though, as the man was about to sigh away, he added on. ¡°I lost my memory more than two months ago. I only remember bits and pieces of my past life.¡±


    Immediately, a reaction sprung around the purple man¡¯s face. Squinting his eyes to watch through him deeper, he stayed silent for a moment before letting go a few breaths after. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be lying. Have you been affiliated with any group since then?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t tell you which one, but I can assure all of you it¡¯s got nothing to do with you,¡± he said swiftly, leaving them to ponder in deafening silence. The other two lingering around their faces for a while, eventually, the one that came last fell upon Haness with his eyes, nodding lightly and making her smile.


    Meanwhile, the blue-skinned man sighed out, tossing his gaze to the side. But, he didn¡¯t leave yet.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Pofrei, welcome to the group, even if temporarily,¡± the man with purple skin said aloud, bringing out his right hand forward before awaiting Lutiel.


    ¡°Kanthier,¡± he said, grasping it quickly and shaking hands with the man.


    Promptly turning his head to the right, he followed Pofrei. Although reluctantly, the blue demon also brought his hand out, shaking the head before speaking out.


    ¡°Cagmin, but don¡¯t think we will be friendly. This is only a formality from my side,¡± he said, only to immediately turn back towards the fire as they shook hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s just like that, always,¡± Haness whispered from the side, making Lutiel nod lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you two already exchanged names, right?¡± Pofreir asked out of nowhere, crossing his arms at the same time.


    ¡°We did,¡± spoke Lutiel, only to see the leader nod his head and slowly turn back. Watching him move away however, the man stopped for a moment, looking at him from the side.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Even though you¡¯re a cripple, if anyone tries to belittle you, come to me,¡± he said, eventually fully turning around before going towards where Cagmin sat down already. At the same time, Haness looked at him for a moment before also moving towards the tents, smiling away constantly while he was left to think by himself.


    Staring down at himself and his hands for a moment, lingering deeply in his mind whilst recalling the brisk sensations. ¡®I was clearly telling lies, so why has he believed me?¡¯ He wondered, rotating the hands back and forth only to stop suddenly.


    ¡°What are you still doing there?¡± With a strange mien and creased brows, Haness called him out, promptly showing him to come closer. ¡°Do you want to see your horse or not?¡± She asked, promptly making him flinch before staggering forward.


    Beneath the moon and giggles, Lutiel finally moved forward. ¡®Everything¡¯s going to be fine, at least if bandits don¡¯t appear.¡¯ He mused one last time, shutting himself off before glancing at the face of Runi, who was being pulled by the girl.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hyaa! Hyaa! Come on! Move it, boy!¡± A voice struggled its way out beneath the neighs, the man slapping his reins harsher than before whilst gritting his teeth. However, with the slaps, the horse only whined harder, further growing disobedient.


    ¡°This! Fucking! He doesn¡¯t listen, never!¡± The man with a revealed hood spoke up, clouds bursting from his mouth as he spat out. The auburn hair swaying lightly, unlike the erect horn atop his head, he shook his head before sighing in defeat.


    Falling with his eyes on the ground, he kept glancing at the space. Not wanting to move back in the slightest, he was still forced to do so, raising his head ahead of himself to stare at the impeded companions of his.


    ¡°Sorry, my bad,¡± parting the lips anew, he muttered out, seeing the girl with blue hair come towards him along with a new horse. Deeply black this time, the long fur of the beast fluttered in the light wafts, his eyes unimpressed whilst seeing his rider being changed.


    ¡°Just take mine, we can¡¯t be wasting time like this,¡± the girl spat out, glancing intermittently to the side before turning back at the auburn-haired demon.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the man spoke back, swiftly jumping up on the saddle. Hearing no response from the front however, he could only mingle his brows together. Once again, their group started moving forward.


    Six horses pulled onto the carriage, while Pofrei was solely galloping at the very front. Meanwhile, unattached to the wood, two people rode on the back, driving through the forest shadowing over them.

 99. Away 2

    On each side, pines showed off their deeply green needles, a frosty film covering their cusps together with the fair powder all around the scape. Driving through the path towards the sky-grazing mountain in the horizon, their pace increased incomparably to when the man¡¯s horse misbehaved.


    Clinging to his new beast, he steadily watched over the group, however, he couldn¡¯t help but momentarily stray off to the right with his eyes.


    Despite needing to focus on the carriage and its goods, he glanced at the person veiled by the cloak. The man had come to their group only a few days ago, yet his appearance brought about discomfort unutterably.


    He could virtually feel and hear the silence sprawling through the space as his companions wouldn¡¯t speak out in the slightest. So, lightly pulling his right arm, the man started to sway off the straight path, getting closer to the strange man.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he whispered out suddenly, quickly getting his reaction. Turning in the hooded cloak of his, the purple eyes glistened out between the murky paleness. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you speak out since we introduced ourselves three days ago, everything alright?¡±


    Listening to the question for a moment, Lutiel briskly turned ahead, making sure the carriage wouldn¡¯t stop right in front of them. Still, pondering on the matter silently, he heard a spry sigh come from the left, prompting him to part his lips.


    ¡°Yeah, why do you ask now all of a sudden?¡± He spoke back, making the fair face of the man turn at him yet again, the brows somewhat risen. Though, quickly falling back in a relaxed expression, Remen simply shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Dunno, it¡¯s boring, I guess? Nobody is speaking up because you¡¯re here, as if they have anything to hide,¡± he uttered, this time churning the eyebrows of Lutiel. Glancing at the demon for a few breaths, he finally gazed back at the road bitten by winter.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same? You waited three whole days before speaking up to me,¡± he said, once again making him shrug his shoulders.


    ¡°The quiet atmosphere must be taking a toll on me. I can¡¯t stand it anymore, you know? Yet here I am, stuck in the back to guard fuck all whilst seeing nothing ahead,¡± he complained, breathing deeply whilst tossing the tongue out.


    However, hearing him speak out, Lutiel could only shake his head a little before gaining Remen¡¯s attention right away.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me you also aren¡¯t bored to death?¡± The man asked, his face ghastly after realizing. With an opened mouth, he didn¡¯t watch the road in the slightest way.


    ¡°Why should I be bored? I¡¯m getting to see more of the world around me,¡± he spoke back, only for the guy to snort soundly, breathing disgracefully at the statement.


    ¡°Ugh, please don¡¯t, I don¡¯t think there was anything worse you could have said,¡± Remen spoke away, the furrowed eyebrows slowly abating below his dissatisfaction.


    ¡®He¡¯s not wrong, I guess. I would rather watch them use magic more often,¡¯ Lutiel mused, only to fall back into the silence sprawling along them and beyond. Though it didn¡¯t last long, the auburn-hair of the man fluttering after turning to the cloak one more time.


    ¡°Where did you even come from? I don¡¯t mean our continent, of course. What part of Aseun are you travelling from?¡± The man wondered, asking whilst sparsely watching over the road.


    However, Lutiel didn¡¯t speak out at first, changing his pace as they turned on the path to the right. He parted his lips only after going forward yet again.


    ¡°Helasta,¡± the man spoke tersely, swiftly hearing a sharp whistle come out of him. Moving his head at him, he saw the faint glint stuck in his eyes as he asked again.


    ¡°Which territory? Zyponia¡¯s or the unlorded lands? He inquired readily, repeatedly looking into Lutiel. And, the man had no objections to answer right away.


    ¡°Zyponia¡¯s,¡± he muttered, quickly rubbing through Runi¡¯s mane to ease his nickers.


    ¡°Why have you left then? There is no better place than Helasta to live in. Why would you choose to go away?¡± He asked with a raised eyebrow, unable to comprehend his reasoning.


    ¡°Personal matters,¡± Lutiel said calmly, swiftly making Remen fall back with the staggered expression.


    ¡°Ahh, I see. Chasing after a girl, is it?¡± Though, he couldn¡¯t help asking again, smiling brightly before winking at him lightly.


    Letting the question sink in him for a while, Lutiel kept silent whilst his gaze bombarded him, awaiting the answers. ¡°Haa, more or less,¡± he muttered after a sigh, a jolly laughter engulfing his ears from the side.


    ¡°Hahaha, I knew it! It¡¯s always girls that make men lose their heads. Though, if I were to say, you must have landed a pearl or something. All the pretty girls were left back home,¡± the man kept talking, albeit somewhat to a deaf ear.


    Rather than listening in on his prattle, Lutiel squinted his ears, turning to the right before gazing through the woods. Yet, seeing nothing but snow, he eventually turned back to the chatty demon.


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    ¡°Damn! Shut it already, Remen!¡± Finally, one of the male riders at the front shouted away, dousing the auburn hairs with airs of discomfort. Turning awry at the tongue assaulting specifically him, he swiftly furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°Huh? What was that, you bastard? I can speak whenever I want,¡± Remen increased his tone, swiftly reaching the front of their caravan.


    ¡°You were so quiet the whole trip and now you¡¯re blabbering like a damn crow,¡± the same, deep voice as before came back to them, only igniting the demon further.


    ¡°Do you want me to go over there and teach you a lesson? You should be lucky I¡¯m back here this ti-,¡± he said through gritted teeth, only to stop suddenly as the horses neighed away, stopping briskly in their tracks together with their carriage.


    ¡°What the hell was that for!?¡± He exclaimed briskly, having skidded through the snow before almost grazing the vehicle¡¯s rear wheels.


    ¡°Shh!¡± Suddenly, the very person at the front brought his finger out, firmly placing it between his lips before shushing each of the people gathered. Unlike before, Remen didn¡¯t break out into a grim expression. Instead, he listened keenly to the orders, falling silent before trying to hear the quietude.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ Lutiel thought, nippily scouring through the group before settling at the trees. ¡®It¡¯s the same feeling I had moments ago,¡¯ he wondered, only for his eyebrows to sour as Pofrei spoke away.


    ¡°Nevermind, let¡¯s move forward. Sorry, it¡¯s my fault,¡± he excused himself, only for the group to sigh away in relief.


    ¡°Fuu, it¡¯s a shame. I wanted to fight some bandits. There wasn¡¯t any action for a while now,¡± Remen muttered loudly, once more bringing replies to himself.


    ¡°Can you just shut it already? Don¡¯t jinx us,¡± This time, a girl spoke up, both Lutiel and the demon unable to see her because of the carriage.


    Still, whilst they started to bicker away, their voices drowned out to the sole human in the group. Still gazing at the tall pines with a festered mien as they kept moving forward once again, he couldn¡¯t help but bite his teeth a bit harsher.


    ¡°Hey! What are you doing, newcomer?¡± Remen spoke suddenly, watching Lutiel lean forward before running up together with Runi, right to where Pofrei and the others looked at him somewhat disgruntled.


    ¡°Why are you breaking the position?¡± Pofrei briskly asked away, however, the man didn¡¯t speak yet. Only as he kept the speed beside him did he finally part his lips.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s something following us, it¡¯s lurking between the trees,¡± he spoke lightly, however, all those behind still heard him, quickly letting loose of their displeased miens before putting on solemn ones.


    ¡°I checked a moment ago, there can¡¯t be,¡± the leader said, however, Lutiel¡¯s face didn¡¯t calm in the slightest. Gazing into his grayish eyes for a while, he finally made the demon speak again.


    ¡°Like I said, I didn¡¯t feel anything. Go back into your position and keep at bay. If you can actually see something, shout it then,¡± he said, leaving the man to sigh internally before intentionally slowing down.


    Once again, he moved behind Remen, catching his speed before staying that way as they went through the path.


    ¡°What was that about? What did you feel?¡± The demon inquired briskly, making Lutiel¡¯s eyes gaze directly into him for a few breaths.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, slowly turning towards the carriage. Yet, until Remen could speak out again, he quickly parted his lips once more. ¡°I just felt some beast staring me down, that¡¯s all,¡± he said, making the one on the left simmer down.


    Closing his already parted lips, Remen glanced curiously at the trees beyond the fresh member of their party. However, as soon as his white irises settled around the pines, they shivered incessantly, quickly turning to the carriage whilst parting his lips.


    ¡°Pofrei! Stop! It¡¯s a Varain!¡± He screamed through the space, albeit, his voice was promptly drowned, dissipating away from the vehement crash filling out the space. A cloud of snow raised itself whilst tens of trees shot out towards them.


    However, before any of them could penetrate through the team, a thin, bluish veil bounced the wood off, all whilst a whistle briskly washed the snow away.


    ¡°Fuck! Why in the world is it here!?¡± Cagmin suddenly raised his voice, having completely stopped his horse before coming off it.


    ¡®What the hell is that?¡¯ Meanwhile, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes wider after staring at the monstrosity up ahead.


    This creature, it wasn¡¯t from these lands, he mused internally, his sight quivering the more he dabbled in his mind. Still, gritting his jaw, Lutiel swiftly calmed himself, making sure to play his role with the demons next to him.


    Creasing his eyebrows down, he took on a serious stance, quickly caressing Runi to ease him. Albeit, even if he forced himself, watching the creature brought about shivers to his skin.


    Stood just a few tens of meters from the startled Pofrei, the creature lingered on four lanky legs, almost as thin as the young pines around the forest. Mostly covered in ashy skin, few black strands loitered around the flesh, the majority kept around the face and chest.


    Its snout as long as that of a wolf, the creature remained composed, watching through the group with its widened eyes, searching around with the elongated torso. And, having caught onto Lutiel¡¯s shadows, the mouth swiftly wrinkled before the yellow teeth reverberated in the eyes of the people gathered.


    All of the horses quickly released their distress, trying to back away despite their masters not allowing them to do so, eventually making the leader exclaim. ¡°Get off your horses! We have to fight it,¡± he said, promptly arousing vexed tongues.


    ¡°What are you saying, Pofrei?! It diffuses any of our attacks,¡± Haness quickly got onto the conversation, jumping off her mount whilst steadily keeping watch of the monster ahead. As if preparing itself to charge, the creature lowered both of its arms to the ground, the four legs already digging through the snow below.


    ¡°Just do as I say, we have no other option. It must have felt the strength coming from the artifact, you know that already,¡± he said, not turning even slightly to the side, making sure to keep the monster in his eyes. The man¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t rest for the slightest moment as he didn¡¯t blink, getting ready whilst raising the gem-embedded staff in his hands.


    ¡°Tch,¡± the girl clicked her tongue, promptly arranging the others with her eyes. ¡°Remen, you take care of the horses, make sure they don¡¯t run too far away. Kanthier, you come stay in front of the carriage,¡± regardless, she voiced out, watching the rest rush towards her and the leader.

 100. Away 3

    Before long, the wind around the group went abuzz, lifting the light flakes up before washing them to the sides. They briskly prepared themselves, three people standing behind Pofrei on each side whilst he raised his staff ahead of him.


    Despite the faint gruntles, Remen still guided his mana, stopping the mounts from getting outside of the group. Meanwhile, Lutiel swiftly ran up to the carriage, watching with fully opened eyes as the cape of Pofrei fluttered deeply, the glimmering stone atop his staff chanting profuse shades upon the world, all whilst shivering and threatening to break apart.


    Still, the monster didn¡¯t turn away. Seeing the seven gathered in front of it, it lowered itself on the legs further, pushing deeper into the ground. However, unlike before, it raised its arms from the snow, sprawling the claws out.


    Getting lower on the knees and putting the sword up, Lutiel¡¯s breath hastened after staring at the magics displayed ahead of him. Watching a sphere of water hover above the staff before attaining the purple glimmer from the air, it swiftly spun around, whistling as it formed the head of a lance.


    His white hairs swaying away from the force of the wind, the human barely kept himself on the ground. Clenching his flesh whilst putting an arm up to fight the gales, his vision waned, but there was nothing else he could do.


    Positioning himself to watch the leader better, his eyes widened abruptly. Watching the magic, despite no longer so heavy on the mind, it disappeared anyways.


    Though, Lutiel¡¯s sight went beyond Pofrei, seeing the elemental spell pierce through the air whilst creating wafts as it advanced.


    Heading right at the monster¡¯s chest, the group turned deathly silent as they watched the attack arrive within the same breath.


    In its large, dark flesh, the purple waters landed, seemingly drilling through the creature as it went deeper inside. At least, Lutiel thought it did.


    Quickly hearing the disappointed breaths coming from the front, his eyes froze up. The attack that meant to go through the monster dispersed into a purple mist, easily mingling with the snow before leaving faint traces.


    ¡°No good,¡± Pofrei muttered, briskly slamming his staff before parting an area of the snow underneath. Similarly, the others no longer mumbled about. Instead, they raised their arms, igniting a plethora of magic contained within themselves.


    Two other cloaks manipulated large bodies of water above them, one of them mutilating it into small, cusped needles, while the other lowered the volume of their sphere.


    Meanwhile, three people tore off chunks of the ground, briskly bonding them into one, large boulder of a decreased size. Unable to keep stationary, the boulder rotated slightly, however, it didn¡¯t seem to matter. Going to the center, where the one with yellow hair stood, Lutiel watched her do nothing. Despite her cloak fluttering the most out of all, she didn¡¯t release anything similar to them.


    ¡®She must be wielding wind,¡¯ mused Lutiel, keeping steady around in front of the carriage. Albeit targeting him as well, he beat the air, tightly pressing against the snow.


    However, suddenly clenching his jaws, he felt the wafts grow even stronger, only to plummet down completely as the spells were released. Cutting through the space, all five of them arrived at the monster quickly.


    Yet, as soon as they entered the varain¡¯s range, the beast opened its mouth fully, a shriek scattering through the space. Revealing the beaten road before bending the trees around, the groups¡¯ ears had been assaulted before their breath could fully fall out.


    ¡°UGH!¡± Lutiel groaned, quickly catching himself by the head. Regardless, ignoring the growing and pulsing pain, he steadily watched as the monster was once again unharmed, the magic coming towards it dispersed immediately after screaming.


    ¡®What is that thing?¡¯ He thought to himself, seeing the staggered figures of his group. They were unable to harm the creature, despite wielding magic of the second level. Simultaneously, as he immersed himself in the thoughts, Lutiel¡¯s eyes widened, realizing it was finally coming forward.


    Running directly at the group with no care in the world, it suddenly disappeared from the place, evading the third wave of spells coming at it before reappearing behind them.


    ¡°Kanth! Do something!¡± Haness swiftly released a plea, under the halted sight of Lutiel.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do?!¡¯ A thought thundered through his head, watching the beast raise one of its arms after already getting to him. Swooping through the snow, the ground scattered apart when the claws dug through, Lutiel¡¯s heart hesitating to beat at the sights.


    ¡®I¡¯m gonna die,¡¯ he thought to himself, staring wide as the claws penetrated the road right in front of him. Changing his grip ever so slightly, his eyes closed as soon as he felt the tip pierce through something.


    Immediately, he felt his body become enveloped. Flying away as the monster threw him out, he prepared himself for impact, constantly aware of his awake state.


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    Yet, no matter how many breaths he took, the wind still brushed through past his face, nothing ever meeting his body. Quickly, he opened the eyelids, widening his eyes further than before.


    Grasped by the monster¡¯s right hand, he saw himself hastily getting away from the group, the carriage in the distance disappearing as the beast stole him.


    ¡®So I was your interest, huh? Not that artifact or whatever?¡¯ He wondered to himself, briskly gazing down at the large fingers covering him. The sword was still in his grasp, and from what he was seeing, it dripped with the monster¡¯s blood, penetrating through the dark skin.


    Feeling the squeezing force surrounding his body, something flashed through his eyes as Lutiel flinched momentarily. Glancing at the furry ears of the beast beginning to dash between the trees, he raised his arms up and down in a brief breath, before the monster could realize its hand was cut off.


    Falling down before rolling on the ground roughly, the man¡¯s chest heaved from the pain, trying harshly to catch a breath. However, before he could truly do that, Lutiel quickly scoured around, hearing the hushed roars of the monster.


    Grinding through its fangs, the varain¡¯s mouth lingered with dripping saliva as it growled away at the human. Retracting its figure slowly, it moved beyond the trees, Lutiel turning adamant in raising himself before going to the side.


    Jumping away, his mind staggered, hearing and feeling the brisk gales from one of the trees coming at his previous position. Taking down tens of pines in its path, it was unable to graze the human, however, making the monster gnaw through the ground with its claws.


    Tossing the chunks of soil right at the fleeting human, the man finally got up to his legs, moving nimbly through the forest and evading the object. At the same time, his expression changed. ¡®You might be strong in magical aspects, but you¡¯re much softer than that bear,¡¯ he pondered, keenly focusing on the beast.


    Watching as the other, uninjured arm started to descend at him rather than throw the ground, a light flashed through Lutiel¡¯s eyes, stepping forward whilst slashing down.


    ¡°GRUUAAAAAHHHH!¡± The beast roared out, jumping away before its back crashed into one of the pines. On the other side, Lutiel walked towards the monster, calm demeanor spelling through him as blood washed over his gray blade.


    Stopping in his tracks, he brought the sword up, watching the beast stand on its legs before bending them down. Growling incessantly whilst digging through the snow, it pounced straight at him, opening its mouth wide.


    Aiming straight at the man¡¯s torso, all the human did was step to the side, letting the monster come to him before thrusting with his blade, right in the middle of its chest.


    Immediately, his sword reverberated, something inside the monster bursting before its figure stumbled through the space. Unable to catch the human, it fell on the ground, the snout reaching a tree before it stood up on the wobbly legs.


    Nonetheless, despite moving around, it was anything but composed. As the blood dripped steadily to the snow, the varain¡¯s body bounced off the trees, making the snow atop fall down on its fur.


    A few breaths later, it finally stopped, the light in its dark eyes dying off before Lutiel approached the creature. Although he had countless questions, firstly, he came close to it, scooping the beast from underneath before flipping it around to lie on its back.


    Staring at the streak of blood coming from the middle of the chest, he promptly took his glove off, raising the sleeve before pervading his left arm through the departing warmth of the monster. The blood splashed out as he broke apart the flesh and bone further, however, his squirming brows searched for something.


    A few moments later, he finally took the drenched arm out, steaming and dripping with crimson blood. Scrunching his nose slightly, Lutiel swiftly cleaned it off with the untainted snow, together with the red rock he took out from the center of the heart.


    ¡°So it was you I struck,¡± he muttered out, smearing off the blood to witness a mellow, blue glow from the crystalic material. Symmetrical in its rhombus shape, the smooth surface made him glance at the rock for a few moments, only to finally raise himself and toss it inside his bag.


    Clearing off his left arm similarly and putting the glove back on, Lutiel cleaned and sheathed the blade before eventually turning towards the road back again. ¡®They must think I¡¯m already dead bait. Nor would they go down this road again,¡¯ he mused, quickly starting to warm his blood up whilst running through the trees.


    Reaching speeds higher than when he chased the bear, finally, his breathing started to hesitate. Steadily starting to lose breaths when he got onto the beaten tracks, he didn¡¯t stop in the least.


    Trying even further as he finally saw the carriage turning back in the horizon, he steadily witnessed it turn bigger in size.


    Catching mouthfuls of air as he gave it his all, finally, the man guiding both horses in the back turned around, having heard the noises faintly. Immediately, his eyes widened away.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Remen called out fiercely, catching the attention of all, especially the leader.


    ¡°Damn it, is it going after us already? Huh?¡± Pofrei shouted the question immediately, only to fall silent after feeling Lutiel approach them from the back. Staggering a response before decisively halting their horses, no complaint fell from his subordinates, they themselves puzzled curiously.


    Finally, seeing the carriage slow down, Lutiel eased as well, eventually standing still whilst glancing up at the sky. His chest heaving dangerously, he could only swallow the breaths whole before supporting himself with the knees.


    Slowly, after a while of hastened breaths, he raised his head, watching as they gathered before his figure.


    ¡°What the hell was that speed?¡± Remen muttered out silently, summoning the human¡¯s gaze for a brisk breath before he once again turned to the others, who stared at him with eyes wide open.


    ¡°How are you still alive?¡± Cagmin spat the words out, swiftly igniting the awry looks around his companions. Despite speaking what they all wondered, his tongue was simply too brash in their glaring eyes.


    Still, letting out mellow sighs, they stared back at Lutiel, Pofrei keeping the glances on him ever since he had come back. ¡°What happened there?¡± He asked instead, the cloaked man finally parted his lips, the respires calming down vehemently.


    ¡°I killed it,¡± he spoke out slowly, letting the words ruminate in their minds. Realizing his sentence only after another breath, the eyes widened.


    ¡°What?¡± Pofrei spouted to himself, glancing beyond Lutiel for a moment before settling around him anew and putting on a solemn expression. ¡°What do you mean you killed it? How?¡±

 101. Back 1

    ¡°What else is it supposed to mean? I pierced through its heart and killed it,¡± he said plainly, prompting more of the same reactions, only a larger scale. This time, Lutiel himself struggled to keep his austere brows, twisting them at the puzzled expressions. ¡®What¡¯s their deal?¡¯


    ¡°No,¡± the leader finally spoke, following not a breath after. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Varains have a natural barrier along their exterior. You wouldn¡¯t be able to poke through its chest without specialised magic. I¡¯m sorry to say, but it¡¯s not possible as a cripple.¡± Steadily glancing at the snow, Pofrei¡¯s tongue kept moving, only for him to suddenly raise his head at the man.


    ¡°Did you retrieve its core?¡± He asked with a deep stare, making Lutiel ponder for the faintest moment before rummaging through his bag.


    Retrieving it however, his brow twitched slightly. ¡®What happened?¡¯ He asked himself, staring at the plain blue crystal in his left hand. Unlike just a few minutes ago, there was no glow anymore. At the same time, Pofrei nodded his head, taking the crystal before inspecting it on a closer level.


    Putting it practically against his eyeball, he promptly gave the core back, glancing at Lutiel with a much lighter composure compared to before. ¡°It¡¯s dead. The barrier must have stood on its last legs, hence you were able to kill it,¡± the demon mused whilst staring at Lutiel¡¯s curious gaze around the crystal.


    Turning around, he swiftly gestured to his team. ¡°Get on your horses, we¡¯re going back on the correct path. Kanthier, you too,¡± the man said, receiving prompt nods from his team. Though, as they all began to walk back to the front of the carriage, Lutiel repeatedly looked through the seemingly empty crystal, startled abruptly as a hand fell on his right shoulder.


    Momentarily moving up, he saw Remen¡¯s smile unveil itself before him, his lips parting right after. ¡°You did a good job,¡± he said, tapping on the man a few times whilst leaving for the horses. Seeing Runi keep glancing at him however, Lutiel tossed the core back into his bag, walking forward once again.


    ¡®I should be accustomed to weirdness already, yet it keeps catching up to me.¡¯ Wondering lightly, he simply kept shut, looking ahead as the road sprawled itself out. ¡®Wait for me a little longer, Sheila,¡¯ the man spoke inside his head for the last time, somewhat ignoring the chatter coming from his left.


    ¡­


    Every new dawn that lingered around, his chest grew heavier. Watching the landscape change repeatedly through morning till dark, Lutiel¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t help but hesitate, especially as he witnessed the forest they were moving along on the third day after their ambush.


    A brisk change invited them, watching the road they went through bereft of bleakness. On each verge of the road, the green blades danced about joyfully, together with the thin trunks of pale trees, dotted with minute, black spots all around while a dress of verdant hairs fluttered atop.


    Feeling the light breeze wheeze across his hairs, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but place his hand around the forehead, fighting the blaring sun peaking through the leaves as he stared at the meekly congested skies.


    Inhaling a deep breath, his eyes closed, promptly releasing before once again watching the carriage right ahead of him. Stumbling about wobbly through the bumpy grounds, the vehicle kept on moving nonetheless.


    Albeit, the people carried it at a leisure pace. Taking in the radiance shining through brightly, the group watched steadily as they had crawled out of the forest full of birch trees. Eventually, after finally breaking through the dense wall of trees, they stopped on the shallow cliff with a steep end.


    While most of them stopped before the edge, Lutiel omitted their position, going forward a bit. Making Remen follow him in the actions, they promptly stopped on the verge of the grass, a few steps before they would have fallen off.


    Glancing at the lands scattered out before him, the man couldn¡¯t help but release a faltered breath, raising his chest after settling on the city far away into the horizon. Despite that, the walls stretched for a long while, practically from one end of his sight towards the other.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t change at all, Falia,¡¯ he muttered internally, staring with solemn eyes before a voice from the side startled his sensations.


    ¡°Whoaa, how could such a gruesome winter not come here in the slightest? It¡¯s like a spring here,¡± Remen spoke out, immediately gaining reaction from a couple of people beside Lutiel.


    ¡°It must be the work of the elves. They need to get their share of light into their systems daily, so no wonder they changed the outcome of the weather,¡± Pofrei explained slowly, making them all nod, except for Lutiel.


    His head only garnered topics that could be left for later. ¡®Elves? Changing weather? Are they some kind of demons?¡¯ He wondered quietly, not once glancing away from the uneven lands scattered out before him. Though, he especially kept around the holy capital, peering at its high and sturdy walls, along with the staggering towers, both along the walls, as well as inside the city itself.


    Still, as much as he wanted to keep staring at the city, the leader exclaimed eventually. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have to deliver the package. I¡¯m sure that old man will try to bleed us of the payment for being just a few hours late,¡± he said, once again attaining nods from the party.


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    Before long, they gradually descended down the path of the cliff, finally moving through the terrain flat enough to go straight towards the city walls.


    Still, they couldn¡¯t go nearly as fast as before anymore. Mingling with the queue of numerous merchants and their different transports, they could only painstakingly wait as the merchants were meticulously let inside, one by one.


    The sun blazed its heart away directly at them, even as it wanted to hide away already. Regardless, sitting steadily in his cloak whilst riding on Runi, while the skies were painted blood orange, Lutiel stared away at the yellowish puffs hanging above, finally moving towards the staggering, open gates of the city.


    Stopped by guards in armor, he swiftly heard them talk, prompting his figure to lean to the side slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of your visit?¡± The main guard, the one in the very center, spoke whilst resting his right hand on a sword¡¯s pommel. Yet, it only lingered there, awaiting the purple demon¡¯s words.


    Veiled with his cloak, just like the rest of his companions, Pofrei simply lowered his left hand to the pouch beside his saddle. Rummaging through it, he swiftly brought a fist out.


    Immediately, a flash scattered through the space, briskly coming towards the guard before his metallic face caught it, unimpressed. Opening his free palm, the guard scoured through the large coin, only to nod to his guards.


    Promptly stepping away, they allowed the group to pass through, however, before they could fully enter, the guard stopped them, bringing his sword out and putting it against Lutiel¡¯s horse.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about another member. Who is that?¡± Through his helmet, he swiftly turned to the leader again, who watched as he moved with his sword towards the back of the carriage. Meanwhile, Lutiel kept silent throughout, repeatedly gazing at the guard¡¯s face, especially through the eye slits.


    ¡°I thought it was clear he belongs to my team already?¡± Pofrei spoke in the human tongue, conversing with the man whilst Runi began to release deeper noises, even as his owner quickly eased it.


    ¡°There were supposed to only be eight people, not nine,¡± he said, glaring at the veiled demon without moving an inch away from the position.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t going to attend the party. He¡¯s only with us up to this point before going,¡± The man swiftly explained, making the guard tighten his grasp of the sword.


    ¡°Should have said so from the beginning. You,¡± he uttered, swiftly turning towards Lutiel. ¡°What¡¯s your reason for coming here?¡±


    With a steady heart, he kept silent for a brisk breath, only to part his lips. ¡°Searching for an old friend.¡± He said, caressing Runi¡¯s mane before hearing the quiet guard slowly bring his sword back to the scabbard.


    ¡°You¡¯re clear, you may go,¡± he spoke, receiving a succinct nod from the man before he watched the carriage start to move. Going together with them however, he swiftly saw a certain figure arrive towards him.


    Breaking out of the front, Haness came on her horse towards him, slowly treading on his right side before letting a meek smile out. ¡°We will have to part here,¡± she said, prompting Remen to glance at them for a second. ¡°As much as we would want to repay you for helping us get here on time, we really have to go already. It was nice meeting you, Kanthier.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said, beginning to slow down together with her whilst the others sped up through the brick road, driving through the somewhat clear street. Almost stopping completely, the girl moved on slowly, albeit, not before turning at him one last time, sending a wink before whispering out.


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t lie next time,¡± she said, making his eyes widen out before chuckling at his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, only I know, the rest should still think you¡¯re a demon. Goodbye, Kanthier,¡± quickly adding on, she dropped the reins lightly, speeding up through the street before catching up to the rest of her group.


    Immediately, the man stood still in the space, watching constantly as they went out of his view. Eventually, in the middle of one of the buildings¡¯ shadows, he let out a deeper breath, seeing as guards appeared at the end of the street the carriage rode through.


    Finally starting to move however, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the sheer amount of guards, plastered almost everywhere. On each corner of a street, at least two were stationed, with many more lingering around the streets itself, gazing through the people walking about.


    ¡®All of them are demons,¡¯ he mused quickly, glancing with discreet eyes between the nooks of their armors. Still, changing to look at the humans before they noticed his gaze, Lutiel suddenly turned around.


    ¡°Hey! Get off the road, can¡¯t you see you¡¯re blocking us?¡± A voice trampled along his figure, only for the man to send a fleeting glance at the two men guiding the carriage, promptly turning Runi to go left.


    A few breaths later, as the carriage went to the other side, Lutiel slowly traversed with his horse, watching the humans with a keen eye. Almost eerily, he gazed through them, going from one quickly to the other.


    Catching all kinds of people in his sight, from elderly to children, from women to men, he watched all of them, with a single conclusion swiftly appearing in his mind. ¡®The only thing that separates them is the lack of iron around their necks,¡¯ he mused, his jaw somewhat clenched.


    ¡®Did Zyponia lie? No, that shouldn¡¯t be the case,¡¯ he thought whilst watching a young man stumble about in his tattered shirt, only to linger there as others wouldn¡¯t toss glances down at him. Together with a smaller child clinging to her dress, a woman walked by, gasping out as the man grabbed onto her leg.


    ¡°Please, help me¡­¡± he said with a dry voice, barely able to release the words properly. However, despite his woes, the girl promptly took her child, jerking her right leg away before running off.


    Glancing down momentarily, Lutiel was about to pass by the man, however, locking gazes with the brown eyes and dark hair, he stopped his horse.


    Irreverent, he omitted the curious looks raised his way, dropping down from Runi before grasping on the man¡¯s shirt that barely held itself together. Swiftly, he sat the man on the edge of the saddle, jumping on the other a breath after.


    Walking the horse a bit faster than before, he made the man grab onto his waist, instantly feeling just how weak his grip was. ¡°Can you speak?¡± Lutiel asked in between the faint whispers his hastened respires brought about.

 102. Back 2

    ¡°Y-yes, I can,¡± albeit after a while, the figure spoke again as he regained proper breathing. Still, shivering both in the figure and the tongue, it wasn¡¯t easy for him to do so. ¡°Th-th-thank you, mi-mister,¡± he said, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Lutiel asked swiftly, sensing his ready nods despite not turning around. ¡°Point me to an inn that pays with demonic money, then. I¡¯ll treat you,¡± he added, retrieving identical reactions from the man.


    Some words and streets later, he roped Runi next to the other horses near the building. Putting the younger man on top of his right shoulder, he kicked the door lightly before inviting himself in the murky space.


    Watching as only crystals on walls illuminated the inn, along with weak candles set on each table, he ignored all the gazes swiftly set on him, letting the drunkards to themselves whilst walking over to the empty counter.


    Immediately, a figure engulfed his sight. Donning a skimpy dress, the innkeeper¡¯s bodice burst her chest out, showing the bare mounds without beating an eye. Looking up and down at the shadowy figure, she kept standing with a leisurely position, breathing in the long stick with a rounded end before its content burned away, a swift puff of white floating towards him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Her blank face asked, keeping her eyes at the newcomer¡¯s shadowed face.


    ¡°Give me some dinner with a fatty piece of meat. As well as some bread and ale,¡± he uttered, promptly seeing her throw a sparse glance at the man he was carrying before turning back at him, seemingly not interested any longer.


    ¡°Ten bronze dracars,¡± she spoke, putting the stick out of her mouth only for it to be briskly placed underneath the counter as she saw the silver shine around his palm. ¡°I¡¯ll be back with the food in a minute,¡± the innkeeper added, giving him the change before going through the door leading deeper into the building.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel walked with the man towards one of the empty areas, placing him on a chair before watching his weak body slump slightly on the table. Powerless throughout, he could only release a deep breath before glancing at his savior.


    Before long, whilst the man kept staring at him, the innkeeper came by, though only carrying the ale. ¡°C-can I?¡± The enfeebled man asked, receiving nippy nods before bringing his left arm out, showing the skin practically clinging to the bone.


    Searching through his body once more, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but inhale a bit deeper after seeing his hand shake uncontrollably, barely able to hold the wooden cup still.


    However, using the other one to support himself, the man quickly brushed his upper lip with the foam atop the surface, steadily raising the mug whilst spilling some of it along the edges of his mouth. ¡°Haa,¡± he exclaimed soundly, almost dropping the wood at the table before Lutiel¡¯s palm supported it.


    With somewhat widened eyes, the man glanced at the cloaked figure, abruptly lowering his head as he peered through the meek shadows dissipated by the candle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know you were-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯m a human,¡± Lutiel swiftly cut him off, only to follow on. ¡°I just have eyes rarer than most,¡± he said, promptly watching the man¡¯s meek nods play out. ¡®He doesn¡¯t believe me, huh?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m a slave of a demon, but I was able to run away. Do you want me to show you the brand?¡± He asked quietly, his arms crossed whilst sitting with an erect back


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to judge you. I¡­ I just saw you getting on with that demonic caravan. I was sure you were one as well,¡± the man explained, looking around at the table and simultaneously fidgeting with the bony fingers.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. My name¡¯s Thomas, Thomas Mer,¡± the pale face uttered out, quickly getting the other¡¯s head to turn at him. Staring with troubled eyebrows, they squirmed only to fall silent after a few breaths.


    ¡°I¡¯m James,¡± he said slowly, once again turning towards the table¡¯s surface, looking around his hands. ¡°I have no surname, so, just call me James,¡± muttering, he stooped low, not raising his head at his words despite more of them coming forward.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Seventeen,¡± he spoke tersely, swiftly shutting up before Lutiel glanced at his slim cheeks, seemingly showing his skull¡¯s outline from how thin he was.


    ¡°...¡± Lingering silently around his face, he watched his eyes light up in a quiet manner, hiding away as the steaming, wooden plate was brought out to him. Filled with potatoes smothered in a thick, brown sauce, along with slices of pink meat that possessed a hefty line of fat sprawling down the side, James couldn¡¯t really focus around the kind stranger anymore.


    Placed right in front of him as well, albeit a bit dry, the large piece of bread made him shiver with an open mouth, briskly looking at Lutiel. And, receiving a nod of approval, the teen wasted no efforts in devouring the food, forbidding himself from using the wooden utensils the woman had placed before leaving towards the counter.


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    Taking the meat before putting the whole slice into his mouth, the boy closed his eyes, munching through the food with a heavy pant. Meanwhile, Lutiel simply took his empty mug, raising it towards the innkeeper and sending a glance.


    As the young man kept stuffing himself with the dinner like a starved animal, the innkeeper discreetly exchanged the ales, putting it right beside the man and catching his sight.


    Sparing the glance he threw at her, James stopped eating to wash the food with the new drink, promptly returning after a large swig. Breath after breath, as the loud atmosphere in the inn grew rather than abated, James finally licked his fingers clean, letting no sauce go to waste.


    Breaking the bread apart quickly, he made sure to smear it along the plate, almost leaving it fully clear before putting the piece inside his mouth.


    Only as he finished did the boy finally slow in motions, catching his belly whilst sitting. Growling heavily, his figure quivered, feeling just how much he had put into himself in such a short frame of time. Regardless, some light returned to his face, raising his head to the man before him. ¡°Thank you, mister Thomas, thank you so much¡­¡±


    Uttering whilst lowering his head, James put his chin on top of the clasped hands. ¡°May Lucien show his light to those as good as you,¡± he said softly, finally looking at the somewhat disfigured expression of the man. Furrowing his eyebrows at the words, he moved the matter on the side, focusing on the more important information instead.


    ¡°James, do you remember much of the capital¡¯s recent past?¡± Suddenly asked Lutiel, promptly seeing James¡¯ thinking expression before he nodded harshly.


    ¡°I believe so,¡± with a softer tone, he said. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been here for the past ten years, nor could I hear anything from the place I was staying at. Tell me what happened after the heroes died,¡± he spoke, immediately souring the brows of the boy.


    Leaning out to the side, he looked at the rest of the tables, only to sigh in relief as the voices didn¡¯t stagger about. ¡°What?¡± Lutiel asked immediately, glancing curiously at the boy.


    ¡°We need to be quieter, that topic is a bit sensitive around these parts,¡± James said, making the man¡¯s eyebrows churn faintly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked again, prompting the teen to glance around the space anew, finally putting his hands around the mouth to quiet down further. However, prolonging with the response, he swiftly sighed once more, this time, in indignation.


    ¡°We should go somewhere more remote. Let¡¯s not bring ourselves unnecessary trouble from these guys,¡± he said, peering at the faintly armored men drinking their hearts out. With a momentary look behind himself, Lutiel simply agreed to his request, promptly walking together with the boy outside of the inn before helping him get on his horse.


    Quickly enough, they started moving past the outer parts of the city, visiting the deeper, less popular areas whilst the sky turned away from them, blending in with the shadows. After a few minutes of searching, James pointed him to a certain alley, empty of a single soul.


    Not even a sole rat ran through the littered, narrow space. Finally, searching around himself before seeing that no one followed them, James could raise his voice a little.


    ¡°You know nothing more than the death of the heroes, right?¡± He asked, prompting a nod from the man leaning over the stone wall. ¡°There¡¯s going to be quite a lot I need to explain to you, then.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t concern me. Say everything that you know.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± James said lightly, nodding his head at the same time. ¡°Everything started to change when the smaller villages and cities close to the holy capital began to move over here from the threat of demons. At first, we were scared. We thought that the demons were going to attack any day, and nobody could witness the heroes for some eerie reason. But¡­¡±


    Listening intently with close brows, Lutiel kept silent the whole time, not uttering a single breath louder than the wind around them. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but muse internally. ¡®Did the church do something?¡¯


    ¡°It only got worse the more weeks passed,¡± James continued, brushing through his long and dark, unkempt hair. ¡°The saintess, she didn¡¯t go out into the public as usual. She kept to herself in the Light Palace, not responding to us in any way. And much like weeks before, the heroes were nowhere to be seen,¡± he said with creased brows, looking down at the cobbled alley.


    Yet, he wasn¡¯t done. Parting his lips after the brief, silent break, he added on after glancing at Lutiel. ¡°Then, another thirteen months passed before we got nothing, but dread. We spent one whole year waiting for any signs of either of the three, with the church finally replying to our wishes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What did they say?¡± Lutiel suddenly interjected, grabbing his crossed arms tighter. Staring deeply at the young man, he swiftly nodded his head.


    ¡°Apparently, the whole continent was surrounded by demons, and for the previous fifteen months, they were fighting them off every day,¡± he said quietly, his eyes widened a bit before coming back to the ground again. ¡°Initially, most of us were happy after hearing that they were alive, however, we quickly realized just how dangerous the situation sounded.¡±


    Staring at Lutiel with questioning brows, he asked. ¡°Just how many of the demons were they fighting? Wasn¡¯t it too much, even for them?¡± Saying so, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, falling low again as some of the light in his eyes faded away.


    ¡°We were foolish,¡± he continued. ¡°Foolish to think everything was alright. One week after the pope¡¯s announcement, saintess Sheila finally came out from hiding, however, she wasn¡¯t her usual self anymore.¡±


    Trembling slightly in the eyes, James recalled everything, speaking out the faintest details to the cloaked figure¡¯s tightly clenched arms. ¡°I was there that day, when I was just eight years old. Her golden hairs lacked their usual shine, nor were they properly tidied up. The skin under her eyes was utterly dark, as though she hadn¡¯t slept for nights on end, not to mention the tainted dress she was wearing at the time,¡± he said, clenching the hem of his shirt somewhat.

 103. Back 3

    ¡°However, after getting out of her palace, she spoke to us in the same way as always, in her kind tongue that soothed us, despite the horrendous words that she spoke. The heroes, they were all dead. They weren¡¯t at war with the demons. The demons didn¡¯t even care about us before their death, all they cared about was the man that killed the heroes together with Magon.¡±


    Gritting his teeth a bit, James rubbed away at the eyes, getting rid of the faint tears forming on them. Sniffing whilst his lips quivered, he clenched the jaws further, trying to hide the expression . ¡°Because of a single man, any sort of humanity¡¯s protection was lost, leaving us to linger on the demons¡¯ increasing aggression.¡±


    ¡°Increasing?¡± Lutiel asked immediately after, breaking in between his light sobs mixed with anger, clearly written out for him.


    ¡°Yes, we heard from people coming into the capital that more and more attacks were being played out all around the continent. Although it took time for the demons to start, they steadily took over the remaining lands in our hands, leaving us with only three capitals to solely rely on. And since they are relatively close, a small portion of the continent remained in our hands.¡±


    Hearing the explanation however, Lutiel kept silent, leaving the continuing questions for himself. ¡®Did the church pay people to misinform them?¡¯ He wondered, finally glancing at the concerned looking James.


    ¡°What about the saintess? What happened to her afterwards? Is there a way to meet her?¡±


    Albeit flashing him a confused look near the end, the boy¡¯s face was swiftly taken over by somber. Lingering on the verge of tears once more, he couldn¡¯t look straight into his eyes. ¡°That, we don¡¯t know, really, even now.¡±


    ¡°What? James? What do you mean? Nine years had passed since then,¡± Lutiel¡¯s voice washed over the teen briskly, however, he could only see the kid glance down at his tattered shoes.


    Silent for countless breaths, a faint noise abruptly escaped through the alley, small droplets splattering against a hard material before James caught his eyes with the fingertips, clearing the tears away before speaking up.


    ¡°I know, alright? We haven¡¯t seen her even once ever since she talked about the heroes¡¯ death. There are countless stories and versions, but the most probable one is that the church was furious with her after she revealed it, especially the pope.¡±


    ¡°Go on, please, ¡± Lutiel urged him, making the boy nod his head lightly.


    ¡°We heard it from one of the holy knights that liked to visit the brothels in lower parts of the capital. After getting drunk with a lady, he revealed everything to her, who told some other people in the following days. We can only assume it¡¯s true since we never saw the holy knight again,¡± James said, making the man squint his eyes slightly.


    ¡®They must have executed him,¡¯ he thought quickly, only to flow back to the teen¡¯s reddened eyes again.


    ¡°What happened after that?¡± The cloaked man asked, making James flinch slightly before regaining his grip. With an erect back and a clear expression, he spoke away.


    ¡°Riots. We started to harass the palaces, both the royal, as well as the holy one. We needed to know, we demanded the answers, alas, only vague ones came. We asked about the new heroes, and truthfully, they showed them to us, however,¡± he said with a tart face, briskly for Lutiel to cut in.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t feel like the true ones, did they?¡± The figure asked, making James¡¯ eyes widen brightly.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he prolonged the silence after, falling in the quietude of the place before finally continuing. ¡°They simply didn¡¯t possess the same aura around them. All of us, even if we¡¯re peasants, understood that something was amiss about the four new heroes. And yes, the church could have been right in saying that it¡¯s only because they¡¯re the new chosen ones, being inexperienced, young kids, but it wasn¡¯t enough to convince us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you only started to riot even more since then?¡± Lutiel asked, assuming from the young man¡¯s mien. And, he quickly got his answer.


    Nodding fervently, James continued again. ¡°At that point, we ventured into their districts basically every night, carrying any weapon we could find in our homes whilst being as loud as we possibly could. We barely slept anyways, so were used to it, but the nobles? It was like a nightmare to them. Just three days was all we needed in order to increase the number of guards patrolling the city, and, just a few weeks before the first blood was spoiled.¡±


    ¡°Did you attack first?¡± Lutiel asked, quickly turning silent as he saw him shake his head.


    ¡°No, it was one of the royal guards, but as soon as he slashed one of our people, a blood bath immediately followed, and we killed ten guards at the cost of hundreds of peasants like me. Still, we outnumbered them countless times. The riots started to prolong over into the day, where we battled continuously, days on end until the pope finally came to speak.¡±


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    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember exactly, however, I know it only resulted in a stronger outrage. We basically had a war in the city. Nobody could be seen out in the outer streets anymore, either hiding or fighting in another part of the capital. And then, they finally revealed themselves after a year or so.¡± James explained with burning hatred sprawling through his veins, reaching all the way to flash through his eyes.


    ¡°Who?¡± Lutiel asked briskly, despite having a seed of an idea sprouted in his mind.


    ¡°One of the guards couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, especially when tens of peasants assaulted him. All of a sudden, those who approached the guard all burst into flames, right before being tossed away onto ground. We immediately knew it, the royal guards had a demon in their ranks.¡±


    Swiftly, whilst James clenched his hands into fists and looked down at the ground, Lutiel shut his mouth. However, letting the words sink into him for a while, he still needed to add. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen already, all of the guards around here were demons.¡±


    Once more, the boy nodded briskly. ¡°We know, very well, that¡¯s also why we stopped like idiots. Because we were scared shitless, we stopped the little war we had with the church and the empire itself, only to be punished by them even more. You¡¯ve seen it already, no?¡± He asked, raising his head at the man.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lutiel uttered, faintly. ¡°The roads are mostly blocked off, and the farmlands are practically all gone. Did they rid you of your possessions?¡±


    James didn¡¯t reply. Simply releasing a gentle nod, he made the man sigh under his breath. ¡®Those fuckers. I¡¯m starting to doubt if the emperor himself is still human. This place is fully controlled by demons or those elves, whatever it is,¡¯ he thought with a clenched jaw, promptly glancing back at the boy.


    ¡°What about current events? Do you still riot or have you stopped completely? Where do you think the saintess is kept?¡±


    ¡°The saintess?¡± James muttered questioningly, only to ponder silently with his furrowed eyebrows. ¡°As I said, we have no idea. All we can do is speculate that she is either inside her room and shackled to her bed, or that she was sent to prison for revealing the truth about the heroes. We can¡¯t know at all because even drugging the guards doesn¡¯t work,¡± he said, making a gleam spread through Lutiel¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t voice anything.


    Instead, the boy continued. ¡°As for the riots, we haven¡¯t stopped. Although there are much fewer of them, we do it here and there, at random dates to make sure they won¡¯t expect us. The last one was about three months ago, which also happened to be our most successful one to date. We were able to kill twenty five guards in one night.¡±


    ¡°Were you there?¡± Lutiel asked, swiftly making the teen grin somewhat proudly before dancing up and down with his head.


    ¡°Of course. Ever since I was fifteen, I attended every one of them. Even if my body breaks from the lack of food, I will still continue to go. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t help but thank you one more time for getting me food. If not for your help, I was worried I might not make it till the next one,¡± he said, making the man crease his eyebrows slightly.


    ¡°When is it happening?¡± He asked, receiving a swift answer from the man.


    ¡°In two days,¡± he uttered out, leaving them in silence before continuing soon after. ¡°Would you like to participate as well? I can feel the hatred burning in you too,¡± James said, making the man on the other side speechless for a while.


    ¡®Even if I don¡¯t want to kill another person, would I even be able to kill a demon one on one?¡¯ He asked himself, only to release one last thought. ¡®Still, this could help me break into the palace. They must be keeping her there.¡¯


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m in,¡± he said, making the boy clench his fists tight before smiling brightly. Still, he froze abruptly, the man parting his lips again. ¡°Here you go, it¡¯s for the information,¡± said Lutiel, bringing out his palm to give the boy all of the change from the visit in the inn.


    ¡°No, no,¡± James quickly protested, bringing his hands close to the chest before rocking them vehemently. ¡°I can¡¯t take this,¡± he said, albeit, Lutiel only sighed before grasping his weak wrist, pulling it before placing the ginger coins in his palm and closing the hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose them.¡± he said lightly, repeatedly staring at the staggered face. Finally, accepting the situation, James lowered his head slightly, grasping on the coins before muttering.


    ¡°Thank you, mister, thank you again. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to ever repay you,¡± the quiet voice fell through the space, Lutiel crossing his arms again whilst staring at the boy.


    ¡°Just answer a few more questions of mine, then. Also, help me find some place to sleep. I was travelling for a whole week to get here,¡± he said, swiftly taking him back to the alley.


    ¡°Ah! Of course, it¡¯s my pleasure. Although I don¡¯t have much money or food, my uncle left me with a decent room a bit deeper into the outer city. It¡¯s warm and comfortable at the very least,¡± he explained with an excited face, his eyes gleaming slightly as he watched Lutiel nod his head.


    ¡°Let me show you the way, it¡¯s getting brisky already,¡± he added, quickly moving towards the entrance of the alley, slowing down as the cloaked figure caught up to him.


    Walking towards the enlightened streets ahead of them, Lutiel parted his lips before they could enter it however, making the boy stop slightly. ¡°Do you know the name of the person that conspired with Magon?¡±


    Halting himself fully, James turned around with a solemn expression on his face, Lutiel promptly doing the same before seeing him put a finger close to the lips.


    ¡°I know, but you should never say it aloud, at least near other humans, okay?¡± He said, making the man¡¯s brows crease somewhat, but he agreed nonetheless.


    ¡®It¡¯s completely different to the revolutionaries. I guess not as many humans are so foolish after all,¡¯ he thought, silent throughout the face, watching as the boy hesitated to speak out the man¡¯s very own name.


    Still, finally pressing his lips tight before opening them wide, his tongue moved about. ¡°Lutiel,¡± James whispered, with hands around his mouth and eyes sweeping all over the place. ¡°That¡¯s the name, but please, when we go to gather ourselves to the riot, don¡¯t utter this name, at least in any positive thoughts.¡±


    With a calm face, Lutiel simply stared at the concerned boy, nodding ever so lightly before speaking out. ¡°I see.¡± He said, swiftly turning to the side before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡±

 104. Back 4

    The night was relatively cold. Nippier than usual in Falia. Grabbing with bare fingers by the hood, a person corrected their attire, promptly breathing out the hot air kept in their mouth before shaded steam escaped below the twinkling lights kept in their arm.


    Complying with the cadence all around, the figure clothed in darkness carried themselves with a thick stick in the right hand, engulfed in bright flames at the very top. Shining decisively with warm tones, it carried the tens of similar cloaks ahead.


    Hundreds of steps played the rhythm, along with hums of confidence and streams of valor guiding the people. Looking around with their hood, the figure glanced at the flickering shines, the pitchforks and axes enveloping the eyes before settling on the left.


    Staring at the clear, purple eyes that didn¡¯t turn pale beneath the blood orange light, James couldn¡¯t help but keep staring, somewhat fidgeting with his lips before Lutiel finally turned right at him.


    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked, whispering under the tough barrage of voices moving through the cobbled street. Still, the question seemingly fell on deaf ears, the boy hesitating to speak up whilst holding onto the torch in his hand.


    Only as Lutiel turned ahead of himself again did he finally gain the courage. ¡°It¡¯s always scary, you know?¡± He said lightly, making sure others beside hadn¡¯t heard him.


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°The waiting,¡± James said, lowering his brows whilst looking at the road beyond the chants. ¡°Any moment now, we could be fighting for our lives with abyssal creatures. Any second and we could disappear into Lucien¡¯s warm light.¡± Swiftly, they once again fell into their faint silence, immediately beaten away by those around them.


    However, Lutiel didn¡¯t stay long in the stupor. No longer glancing at the boy, he simply guided his left palm on top of his pommel. ¡°You¡¯re right, it is scary. However, you don¡¯t have to do this, James,¡± he whispered silently, just close enough for the other¡¯s confused face to hear him.


    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± He asked briskly, with a somewhat jarring tone. Riveting his mind on the question, he made the boy¡¯s brows creased gruesomely.


    ¡°You¡¯re not obliged to do this. These people don¡¯t know you, and neither do you. This empire, the heroes, the saintess, what did they do for you to keep fighting like this? At any moment, you can simply toss this torch to the side and run away. No, actually, you better do that.¡±


    ¡°Wha-?!¡± He raised his voice somewhat, however, Lutiel quickly blocked the path of the voice with his hand, glaring into the boy¡¯s brown eyes.


    ¡°James, listen to me,¡± he said, lingering on the verge of quietude. ¡°This entire continent is festered with demons throughout. And, the only reason for that is that the empire allowed it, no other option.¡±


    Once again, the boy¡¯s brows creased, even deeper than before as he couldn¡¯t understand the words. Trying to pull away Lutiel¡¯s hand from his mouth, he only found himself unable to budge the arm the slightest bit however.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it and you¡¯ve told it to me yourself. You shouldn¡¯t do this anymore. Are you trying to run into your parents¡¯ embrace?¡± He asked, promptly making his eyebrows stumble about. ¡°There is no help for the empire with these riots.¡±


    Breaking down as he heard the words, James halted his steps together with the man holding him. Albeit catching the attention of those walking through the city¡¯s outer streets, they simply walked past them, leaving the sole two to linger in the dark space, James¡¯ torch flickering from the meek wafts.


    ¡°Go. Run away and live a proper life. Find a job somewhere safe and wait. Just wait until all of them disappear from here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Thomas?¡± He asked, Lutiel finally taking his hand off before letting the perplexed boy speak. Watching his startled, utterly confused mien play about, he stared at his face, promptly gazing into the dark clouds guarding the capital.


    ¡°Lutiel is alive and well, and the demons have found him,¡± he said, making the boy¡¯s eyes widen completely. However, he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°For now, he¡¯s still here, but soon enough they will be taking him back home. With no reason to keep being here, they will go. All of them. So, just wait, okay?¡±


    ¡°...¡± The boy couldn¡¯t speak for a long while. Lingering in the space with his mouth open however, he still muttered some words out. ¡°H-how do you know that?¡± He asked, trembling faintly after forcing himself.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good friend of mine. Although I don¡¯t know the truth, I¡¯m not so sure about the story from the saintess,¡± Lutiel muttered out, putting on a light smile before shoving the man away from him. Staggering abruptly before almost falling to the ground, he just barely collected himself before staring with wide eyes as the man started moving away with his torch.


    ¡°Go home, James, before it¡¯s too late,¡± he added near the end, fully turning around and leaving the boy to himself.


    Meanwhile, in just a few, hard steps, Lutiel got near the end of the marching group, all sorts of weapons engulfing his sternful expression. Shining right into his eyes, he caught a long scythe towering over all of the pitchforks and axes, the person carrying it being the main source of chants.


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    ¡°Come on, demies, where are ya, heh? Are ya scared, you demon bastards?¡± Screaming atop his lungs, those beside him cheered his words away, growling almost with the deep agreements. ¡°Hiding everything? The pope? The saintess? The heroes? Demies, where are ya?!¡±


    One street after another, they slowly ventured out into the deeper areas. However, as they kept on going, their voices began to falter, be it either from exhaustion or concern.


    ¡°Hey? Why are we able to go this deep?¡± One of the hooded people near Lutiel asked another one, slightly louder than the jeers coming forward. Voicing the thoughts whilst still holding onto the axe, he continued. ¡°This is just before the noble district, but there are no guards.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the leader, you moron? He said he¡¯s got a safe route planned for today,¡± his friend on the right exclaimed, shaking his head whilst letting the one behind them hear all of it.


    Musing through the words internally, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡®Yeah, a route planned by one of the empire¡¯s demons.¡¯ He thought, glancing sparingly at the scythe before turning back at the torch in his hands. Staring as the fire burned the wood away, he let his eyes sit there for a while before peering at the hundreds of humans he was currently walking with.


    Staring at them all from behind, his eyes flashed strangely, prompting him to look away. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I have to. I don¡¯t even know any of you, and James ran away already,¡¯ Lutiel pondered, stashing the clenching sensations away, all under the word that thundered in his head. ¡®Sheila, I will be there soon.¡±


    With one last thought, Lutiel shut himself, staring ahead before watching as they entered neater parts of the city, built using expensive stones and materials. At the same time, the air lingered free of taunts, unlike before.


    Settling in the people deeply, the worry grew increasingly the more they watched the streets, vacant of guards. Suddenly however, murmurs began appearing. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± One of the torch carriers asked, promptly receiving a nod from the side.


    ¡°Be quiet, everyone,¡± holding onto the scythe, the leader suddenly uttered, nestling silence in the men. Stopping completely, they still heard the thudding cadence however, even if much weaker compared to theirs.


    All around the entrances to the alleys between the buildings, the sounds closed in on them, swiftly getting reactions from the center. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± One of the men near the scythe exclaimed, only to fall into silence as his head flew towards the skies, separated by the wide swing from the leader.


    Widening their eyes after seeing ten of them disappear, the people acted swiftly, pushing their pitchforks towards the man.


    ¡°Good luck, heh~¡± the man spoke once more, smiling as the blood smeared out from his lips, the metal spikes stabbing through his heart easily. Yet, he suddenly widened his eyes, staring down in horror before parting his lips.


    ¡°NO! THEY CONTRO-¡± He shouted, unable to finish as his head burst suddenly, exploding into pieces before staining the people gathered there.


    ¡°Fuck! Fuck!¡± The people shouted briskly, Lutiel looking around with wide eyes before taking his sword out.


    Putting his thoughts away, he briskly watched the people scatter away all around, towards the guards that finally unveiled themselves from the shadowed alleys.


    However, rather than moving away, he promptly looked up. Another few armored figures appeared in the sky, jumping from the rooftops all the way down to squash the humans.


    Some were able to land on the humans¡¯ heads, while other guards weren¡¯t so fortunate. Jumping straight onto the pitchforks, two out of eleven demons were immediately impaled, the metal going right through the slits in the armor.


    Despite just appearing, ten humans jumped each one of the guards, hammering down on the armor with the axes. While half of the demons were able to fend off the assault, the other plainly fell down to the ground, their helmets caving before their bodies stopped responding.


    As eerie as it looked to the man standing still, the humans were definitely winning at the moment, with just their sheer numbers.


    Albeit, he briskly realized the unutterable might. Four pitchforks targeted one burly knight, clad in deep silver armor from toes to the top of his head. Just about to touch the demon however, their bodies flew away from him, vehemently crashing into other humans before the knight took on more opponents.


    ¡®They¡¯re already starting to use magic, huh?¡¯ Lutiel wondered to himself, briskly looking around the space. Through all the alleys to the middle of the battle, he walked around stealthily, searching with meek results.


    ¡®Come on, there must be at least one out there,¡¯ he said internally, dodging the areas of harsh fights. However, no matter how many demons he had gone through, the answer just didn¡¯t seem to be there.


    One alley after another, he watched the demons devour through tens of humans, either spikes moving through the bricks in the ground to impale them or their bodies being tossed through the air.


    Out of nowhere, he fell to the side, dodging one of the rocks flying at the humans near him before moving up towards the still large mass of people in the middle.


    Then, all of a sudden, a burst of gales came from the very center, the source being the same demon that stopped the four pitchforks from scratching his armor plates. Immediately, Lutiel rolled on the ground, the world before him spinning around whilst ringing away.


    Yet, suddenly catching the ground through the hazy vision, he quickly raised himself from the space, standing clearly before running head on towards one of the alleys on top. Condensed with the least amount of humans by far, being just two, it was because most of them lay on the ground, lifeless.


    Similarly, ten or so demons lay on the ground, just one that was left fighting against two axes.


    Swiftly, Lutiel dodged any of the elemental attacks, covering himself with the humans before easily reaching towards the end.


    However, just as he reached the armored demon that lingered on the verge of the alley, he saw two spikes come out from the ground, penetrating through the humans¡¯ hearts before they dropped dead.


    Halting his motions completely, Lutiel stared at the demon ahead of him, the guard doing the same. While he stared into the cloak¡¯s shadowy face, the other observed the purplish eyes through the slits in the armor, briskly moving forward with his already unsheathed sword.


    ¡°You seem tougher, heh,¡± the guard spoke in a tongue the human could understand, alas, the shadowed face didn¡¯t respond in the slightest. Rather, he lowered his figure, grasping on the hilt tightly before seeing the demon copy him. ¡°Hoo? You want a sword fight? I can give you that, but don¡¯t be surprised if a spike pierces you!¡± He said, flaunting the long blade around with one hand before suddenly thrusting it towards Lutiel.

 105. A Cruel Fate 1

    Out of nowhere, from beneath the corpses, earthen spikes shredded through them, protruding to accelerate straight at the human. Yet, crossing between each other, the spell only hit dead air and made the guard¡¯s eyes stumble silently.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He muttered briskly, seeing the enemy appear next to the building on the right. Quickly using his hands, the wall threatened to swallow the human, however, the bricks were still too slow.


    Already escaping his magical grasp, Lutiel¡¯s cold eyes glistened in front of the guard, his sword¡¯s pommel shining ahead of him with flash. Darkness embodied the demon¡¯s eyes as he flinched backwards, the blunt end of the weapon rendering him thoughtless after hitting on the chin.


    Any virtue surrounding his flesh dissipated, his body dropping like an inert marionette. Before he could fully drop to the ground however, Lutiel stared down at him, his foot spreading out to push his plated chest.


    Flying through the alley, his body stopped in the middle, deep into the shadows and far away from the curious eyes. Running towards him immediately, Lutiel grabbed his baldric and the scabbard strapped upon it, along with the bag beneath his cloak.


    Taking them off, he swiftly tossed them beside the lying body, all whilst cautiously listening to the whispers of battle in the distance.


    Each breath that passed, less screams played out underneath the glabrous skies. Eventually, they all died out, both the voices along with the bodies, lying on the bloodied, miserable ground. Mutilated parts scattered everywhere, the guard that stood in the very center of the street looked around, watching as his men slowly gathered up from the place.


    ¡°How many of you are left?¡± He called out suddenly, his demonic tongue brushing past the streets before immuring in the piles of corpses gathered around. Tossing the bodies away, the guards walked past, slowly gathering close around him.


    A measly ten of them stood beside the man, watching the horses arrive from the side whilst pulling on an open, wooden carriage. Still, despite his underlings, the demon slightly taller than them all kept glancing at the back, a certain alley with the most amount of peasants fuelling his sights.


    Finally, he saw another armor walk through, his purple eyes deeply penetrating through his helmet¡¯s slits before they fell right on top of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, cap¡¯n? Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± The guard spoke in a joyous mood, somewhat muffled from the helmet, but not stopping his moves before arriving right next to the man.


    ¡°As arrogant as ever, I see. Even with all those scratches around you. You were battered nicely, Tuy,¡± the man spoke, lingering around his face for another breath before raising the tone faintly.


    ¡°Alright, I guess we better start to clean up,¡± he said, promptly raising his hands before the demonic eyes followed after him. The blood pooling around the street swiftly flowed through the place, circling the man before it was transported to another of the demons.


    Then, standing along the paved ground, he still didn¡¯t retrieve his hands. Instead, he tensed the muscles, almost immediately making the gusts change around him. Gales poured out as the bodies began to float in the space, steadily arriving at the carriage in pairs of ten before being arranged on the wooden planks.


    Clenching his jaws slightly, Lutiel still made sure to witness everything happening. Watching as the corpses were being placed on top of the carriage, eventually, the man watched as the vehicle started to bend under the weight, promptly driving away before an empty one replaced it.


    Four full carriages were needed before the place was fully cleared from corpses, though the street still lingered with the blood.


    Jutting his armored chin over at a certain demon, the captain swiftly walked away, watching the guard come over to the center. The others following him in the retreat, they placed themselves right after the blood stains ended.


    Immediately, the pressure in the surroundings changed as the scalding flames engulfed the space, swallowing all of the buildings around whilst making Lutiel¡¯s eyes twitch and widen.


    Seeing the bright fires surrounding the man, at the same time burning the blood and remaining chunks of flesh away, the man couldn¡¯t help but stagger slightly.


    Almost animated, the fires flowed lively, dancing around before slowly retracting towards the main demon in the middle, completely unharmed despite wearing copious amounts of metal on himself. Walking through the dust of ashes, the captain promptly raised his hands, washing the remnants away before the skies took care of them.


    ¡°Good job, boys. We¡¯ve lost twenty five of our own, but we were prepared for that. We won at the end of the day, and that¡¯s what matters. Let¡¯s go back to the palace for now. Also, make sure that at least one of you is awake. If there is a need to help another part of the capital, we will be going,¡± He explained, swiftly receiving delayed nods from the men.


    Regardless, now that it was all over, they could finally go. Walking deeper into the city, they slowly strode through the space, all the way until a grand structure revealed itself a few streets ahead. Practically covering their horizon whole, the facade was clearly visible, despite being deep into the night.


    Glancing with a decisive gaze at the palace, Lutiel¡¯s mind churned.


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    ¡®I¡¯m back, finally.¡¯ He thought whilst washing over the buildings with his eyes. Unaware of the glances coming from the deep, red eyes on the side, he simply kept watching as they walked through the ornate gates.


    ¡­


    Murmurs scattered across the dark abode, mixing with the periodical squeaks and snores. Albeit forming a mellow cacophony, those lying on their beds simply kept to themselves, sleeping away lightly.


    Yet, as the breaths resounded calmly through the space, almost all of their eyes sparked up, hearing the sudden crash from the side.


    ¡°Eh? Captain? What is it?¡± One of the demons asked, rubbing his eyes whilst staring at a crimson gaze glancing down at him. Swiftly, all of them groaned as light spread about from the crystals at the ceiling, the man in armor silently watching through the space before arriving towards one of his men.


    ¡°Where the hell is Tuyme?¡± He asked, standing in the middle of the doorway, immediately making whispers flow about before the man he spoke to replied.


    ¡°Tuyme? I don¡¯t know. He was supposed to check over us, maybe he just went to take a shit,¡± he said, however, the captain only closed the doors again, as brashly as he had opened them before.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± He shouted beyond the walls, leaving the men to scatter their minds with one another.


    The captain announced his presence in the corridors, walking past the rooms with brisk steps. Even as priests stopped him on his way, he simply omitted their existence, a deep furrow forming on his revealed face.


    ¡°You should have checked your suspicions earlier, you fool,¡± he berated himself, caressing the short, black hair on top of his head before suddenly taking a flight of stairs downwards.


    -


    A few minutes earlier, on the other side of the palace, a quick thrust scattered its voice out, the man responsible striking his new pommel on the side of the guard¡¯s armored head. With a loud clang, the second guard had fallen already, his confused eyes unable to reach Lutiel¡¯s.


    As soon as he lost his consciousness, the man grasped the set of keys in his possession, promptly trying out tens of them before getting the correct one. Opening the reinforced, metallic doors ahead, he closed them once inside, slowly pulling the keys out before stopping his motions.


    Hearing the faint whispers crawl along his body, together with the meek rays coming from the small crystals on the walls, he finally turned around. Sheathing his sword before walking against the prison cells, with keys clicking around as he strode through the space, his breathing hastened increasingly.


    ¡®Please, just please, be here,¡¯ he thought to himself, taking the free hand before pressing down on his chest and feeling its raciness. Threatening to break his ribs, he inhaled deeply before letting it out slowly, steeling his gaze on the cobbled corridor.


    ¡°PLEASE! GET ME OUT OF HERE! I DIDN¡¯T DO ANYTHING, I PROMISE!¡± Flinching his head to the side, Lutiel watched a shackled man come forward, itching to grab on the dark bars he was contained behind. Screaming with all of his voice, he pleaded to the guard, however, the man simply ignored him.


    Even as he knelt and clasped his hands together, Lutiel could only hear the voice dissipating as he walked ahead of himself. Slowly, more cells appeared in his vision, all kinds of people meeting with his eyes. Much more reserved compared to the previous one, they sealed their fates, resting on top of the wooden beds hanging on chains connected to the walls.


    One by one, he searched through the cells. Alas, even as he reached the end of the left side, he hadn¡¯t witnessed the one he was searching for. Gritting his teeth lightly before turning around, he swiftly reached the previous doors once again, going to the other side promptly whilst ignoring the screaming man on the side.


    A similar instance met him. Not a single cell was occupied by the person, however, instead of an empty wall, he saw wooden doors, quickly opening them before taking the stairs they contained.


    With each step, his heart seemed to grow its beats, almost bursting from the pressure he took on.


    FInally, he reached the second floor, practically the same as the first one, except for the increased complexity in its layout. More like an underground city, each path turned into three others, sprawling out incessantly as Lutiel stepped through the place.


    With quicker feet than before, the man walked hurriedly, clenching the keys tightly before witnessing yet another door ahead of him.


    However, unlike the one leading to the lower floor, this one was made fully from metal, shut tightly so nobody could get in or out. His eyes shaking faintly as they fell on the keyhole, his quivering fingers swiftly rummaged through the tens of keys in his grasp.


    Still, getting lucky on his third try, his unsure hands slowly turned inside the hole, hearing the faint clicks before pushing the metal towards himself.


    All of a sudden, feeling the brisk air crawl up to his nose, Lutiel¡¯s hesitancy disappeared altogether. Staring ahead of himself, he walked through the short corridor after shutting the doors, promptly seeing the dark, cold bars which kept a figure inside.


    Even though his heart dropped suddenly, serenity washed over him seeing the girl, her sleek arms raised above her head, shackled and chained to the wall. Sitting lifelessly, stuck to the ground thanks to the metals restraining her legs, her image struck out to him.


    The pale robes she wore had long since lost their shine, gradually blending in with the shadowy scape. Tattered throughout, he saw countless scars sprawled along the body, some still open, festering with pus.


    Slowly, he raised his eyes, eventually breathing out deeply after staring into her face. Indifferent to the world before her, the muddy gleam in her sapphire eyes simply looked ahead, seemingly immobile.


    The once golden hair shared the same fate, losing any of its luster and becoming a meek comparison of its past self. Dirty and unkempt, countless strands stuck to each other, only wishing for the grime to be washed away.


    Standing right before the doors of the cell, Lutiel slowly glanced down at them, omitting looking at the keyhole and plainly grasping on the metal. Immediately, they squealed under his prowess, however, as he tensed his flesh, the material broke off vehemently, flying to the ground before the door staggered to the side on its squeaking hinges.


    Still simply looking ahead of herself, the girl didn¡¯t react to his actions in the slightest. Even as his heavy breath descended through the flickering space, she didn¡¯t bloom any emotion.


    A few steps next to her, the man towered over the lady, finally parting his lips to mutter through the helmet that stifled his voice. ¡°Sheila,¡± he spoke softly, making the girl glance at his eyes. But, that was all she did. Merely peering through his purple eyes, she didn¡¯t speak out once, the dried lips shut tightly.

 106. A Cruel Fate 2

    Fidgeting with his fingers, the hands turned lighter as he threw the keys away, steadily heading for his face and grasping on the helmet before slowly raising it.


    Dropping it promptly to the ground, the piece of metal bounced a few times as his hair fell flat on the shoulders. Something churned inside him, seeing the girl¡¯s widened eyes. Yet, as soon as her lips pried away, it all died off, a brisk realization settling within.


    ¡°R-raphael?¡± With a raspy, shattered almost voice, the girl asked, the chains rattling at the shallow moves. Sheila moved herself up slightly, trying to see his face better, alas, the more she stared at the dejected, purple pupils, the more her face petrified.


    ¡®She never was my friend, was she?¡¯ Lutiel asked himself whilst glancing down, slowly flowing up to stare at the girl¡¯s faintly perplexed face.


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t Raphael,¡± she said, soon turning the indifference around her into growing ire. ¡°Who are you?¡± The saintess asked with a growly voice, staring fervently into his violet shades.


    ¡°Why?¡± He suddenly asked, making her eyebrows twitch briefly before furrowing them deeper. With tense hands, Lutiel slowly clenched them into tight fists, the metal grinding against each other as he did. Despite that, the girl only focused around his face, seeing him slowly unravel the clouded expression. ¡°Why did you lie, Sheila?¡±


    Once again, he asked, but the girl couldn¡¯t understand any of it. ¡°What are you talking about? I asked who you are,¡± she said, only for the man to lightly shake his head.


    ¡°No¡­,¡± he uttered below his breath, her eyes squinting. ¡°Answer me. Why did you lie to me?¡±


    The question rumbled through the space, dissipating into the girl¡¯s ears before her eyes briskly awakened. Opening them fully, the blue gems shook unutterably as his image described itself in her pupils. ¡°... Lutiel¡­¡± She spoke after a hefty pause, letting the fuddle linger in her whilst slowly glancing down at the floor.


    Even wider than before, despite already being on the brink, her eyes couldn¡¯t believe the words she had spouted out. ¡°No, there¡¯s no way. He killed all of you back then,¡± her voice quickly flew across the space, the head shaking away.


    ¡°Sheila, tell me the truth,¡± he pressed on, her chains slowly growing in rattles as she tightened her arms. ¡°Why did you lie?¡±


    Shaking slightly, the saintess raised her face abruptly, an eerie grin resting on her face before she broke out into a cheery laughter. Immediately, Lutiel¡¯s face frowned away, however, he continued to watch her chuckle.


    With fully widened eyes, she laughed in his face, as though mocking him. Only to fall back to the ground. Staring at the stones making up the floor, she finally spoke up as the giggles diminished. ¡°Out of all of them, you came back alive? It¡¯s not fair,¡± Sheila muttered dejectedly, raising her rabid face right after. ¡°IT¡¯S NOT FAIR!¡±


    The man simply stood there as her shout washed over him, his mien kept intact whilst watching the girl gradually break down. From the rage she exuded straight at him, she fell back to the ground, sobbing away faint droplets.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. It¡¯s all gone to shit anyway,¡± she whispered, flowing back at him with the reddened eyes smiling. ¡°You asked why I lied? What lie did I ever utter?¡± The saintess asked, blossoming lightly before seeing him clench the fists tighter.


    ¡°Tell me, please tell me all of it. How much of my life is a lie?¡± Lutiel asked, tensing his muscles whilst seeing her burst into giggles once again.


    ¡°Ah, that? I see¡­¡± she spoke after calming a bit, only to glance decisively into his eyes. ¡°When did you realize?¡± Smiling slightly when the question left her mouth, Sheila watched his teeth grind slightly, the jaw tensing up.


    ¡°Please¡­ just answer me,¡± he pleaded with a strained voice, finally letting go of the tension around him. ¡°Since when? When did you stop being the sheila I used to know?¡± Lutiel raised his voice a little, albeit, the girl stared at him with a continuous smirk.


    Still, she stopped the amicable expression after a few breaths of silence, pondering quietly with a slightly tilted head. ¡°... Lutiel¡­ you poor thing. You still don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡± She asked through pitiful brows, only making him contort in confusion.


    ¡°Wha?¡± He uttered absentmindedly, promptly shut as the girl spoke anew.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t fret, I will explain it quickly,¡± she said with a fresh smirk, growing deeper on the seemingly dead eyes. ¡°Your body and spirit, they''re extremely special. And, it just so happened that we lucked out with finding you,¡± Sheila went on, the curve around her mouth parting into a tainted grin before she stopped for a brief while, basking in the widened eyes of his.


    ¡°From your very birth, you belonged to us, Lutiel. The very last droplet of your blood was our possession, and I made sure to train you exceptionally well.¡±


    ¡°W-what are you talking about? You¡­¡± he said with creased brows, slowly stopping as the girl¡¯s face illuminated his sights before her eyebrows raised themselves curiously. ¡°But you¡­ you grew up with me,¡± his voice drowned in disbelief, scouring through the doubtful face and promptly locking around the dirty hairs, seeing something part through the sides.


    ¡°Did I? Are you certain?¡± She asked softly, lowering her head before glancing up at the man, who could do nothing but stare through the strands, seeing the perky ears of hers clinging to the head, barely visible.


    ¡°...You¡¯re one of them,¡± he spoke away whilst pointing at the girl, his arm trembling before he abruptly dropped to his knees, catching himself by the face before looking through the sprawled fingers. ¡®Zyponia? Did you lie to me as well? Are you with them?¡¯ Lutiel asked inwardly, suddenly glancing back at the girl¡¯s voice.


    ¡°One of them? No, Lutiel, you¡¯re one of us. Something deeper connects us. Or, it used to at least. You severed that connection as soon as you killed Raphael. You can die now for all I care, but first, please kill me like you did before,¡± she said, painting a somewhat somber face. Yet, it swiftly disappeared, turning pale beneath the man¡¯s ground up rage.


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    ¡°IT WASN¡¯T ME!¡± He screamed, furious. ¡° I didn¡¯t kill you! No, no, no, I know very well what happened now. IT WAS YOU!¡± He shouted, trying to get up before pointing his finger at the girl. ¡°You used mana to control my body. You made it seem like it was me, didn¡¯t you? Why? Why did you make me go through that?¡± He pointed repeatedly at her, eventually dropping to his knees again before clutching his head.


    Silence reverberated through the space, growing comfortable only to be broken apart by the splashing noise. Hiding his face away from the lady, staring at the ground, a droplet slid across his face, tearing off the skin before crashing against the stones. Sniffing slightly before glancing at the girl with tears blocking his sight, Lutiel parted his lips again. ¡°Please, Sheila, answer me already.¡±


    Beneath his ugly, mellow sobs, the girl smirked, slowly moving her restricted hands to clasp one against the other. Through a brisk cadence, Sheila clapped to his puzzlement.


    ¡°I guess I should reward you for answering correctly, no?¡± She asked, swiftly nodding her head. ¡°Yes, I think so. Why do you think we did it to you?¡±


    ¡®We?¡¯ He caught the words, however, the question lingered on his mind more. Staring at her golden hair before smearing his eyes away, Lutiel still kneeled on the ground, unable to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said amidst a quick sniff, making the girl shake her head with sigh.


    ¡°We needed control over you,¡± she uttered softly.


    Immediately, his brows creased. Glaring at her smiling face however, he couldn¡¯t find anything. ¡°Control?¡± He repeated, once more making her shake her head.


    ¡°You were never the brightest, huh? Of course, it was all to control you. You and your desire for growth, the one embedded deep inside your spirit from the moment you were born.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What? AAARGHHH!!¡± He muttered, only to slam his head down, barely able to evade hitting the ground as the splitting headache announced itself. Growling from the pain whilst pulling on his strands, he listened to the girl as his eyes steadily grew wider.


    ¡°Did you have fun killing us, Lutiel?¡± The voices spoke at the same time, coming right from the saintess¡¯ mouth. Her face, a mixture of them all, promptly dissipated, together with the voices. Simultaneously, Lutiel¡¯s heavy breath calmed down, his figure slowly bringing himself up.


    He gradually straightened his back up, continuing to stare down at the ground before hesitantly looking up at the girl¡¯s proud face. ¡°You did it to build fear of death into me,¡± Lutiel said solemnly, seeing Sheila¡¯s face spark up.


    ¡°Good job! I knew you could do it, even if it took you thirty years,¡± she added near the end, however, the man didn¡¯t listen anymore. Clenching his fists tightly, he continued.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me to kill, why did you send me into a battlefield full of demons?¡± Once again, her eyes looked at him with slight pity.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t real. All you did was fight puppets that looked like them,¡± with the flowing answer, he lowered his face again.


    ¡°My mom, was she even real? The heroes, were they real?¡± Furrowing into silence as the question left his mouth, Sheila sighed slightly.


    ¡°No, your actual mother was killed the moment she gave birth to you. As for the heroes, yes, they were real, however, what do you think they were for?¡± She asked, making the man¡¯s face squirm fiercer than before.


    ¡®No, please. Please, just not them,¡¯ Lutiel thought to himself, unaware of the stream of tears falling down his face.


    ¡°It seems you know already. You never set yourself free after getting to the hero''s party. The sword hero was this Empire¡¯s crown prince,¡± she uttered, her voice resounding in his head whilst his eyes trembled into blurry visions.


    Giggling away as she lingered around his face, the man didn¡¯t speak anything, only letting the laughter surround his ears as the thoughts ate through him. ¡®Raphael? But you always told me you were from a family of fallen nobles¡­¡¯ He asked with a parted mouth, promptly closing it shut as she added on.


    ¡°Hahaha, but you know what¡¯s the funniest about this story? How you used to run around after that brother of yours, despite not knowing your relations,¡± Sheila said in between the laughs, Lutiel¡¯s face growing taut as he heard the words.


    ¡°Brother?¡± Muttering out in disbelief, his nostrils flared up whilst staring at the girl.


    ¡°Of course. He was your twin, how could you have not guessed it already? Did you not see your reflection? Well, I might have messed with your perception a bit, heeh,¡± she spouted, only to suddenly gasp for air, the man¡¯s hand grasping her neck slightly. ¡°Have you finally decided to show your true self, that monstrosity inside you?¡± Sheila pursed her lips, smiling away as his wrinkled nose illuminated her eyes.


    Sinking the fingers around her neck, Lutiel steadily tensed his right arm, pressing into the flesh. Struggling brightly, the saintess didn¡¯t wriggle about however. Accepting the treatment she was receiving with smiles blossoming around her face, the girl barely let her tongue out.


    ¡°We did it for you, Lutiel. We did it, because you were meant to show the light to the world. We wanted to bask in your radiance,¡± a whisper fell out, her face turning red, especially around the white scleras. Yet, even as she heard the cracking around her neck, Sheila followed on with the smile on her mouth. ¡°However, you let the darkness consume you, Lutiel. You¡¯re not our sun anymore. You¡¯re nothing, but an empty spirit. GHA! ARGH!¡±


    Finally, right as her words ended, the gruesome features on his face settled, flowing down her figure to witness his unsheathed sword. Stuck in between the breasts, blood swiftly tainted the fabric before growing vehemently, Lutiel jerking the blade away.


    With a straight face, the man watched her struggle to breathe properly, staring down as she looked at the floor, crimson fluid starting to drip from her lips. Yet, despite death looming around her, Sheila promptly stared at him, with a crumpled grin on the verge of breaking apart.


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you. Not for what you did to him. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t pay you back, human,¡± she muttered out weakly, soon closing her already lifeless eyes. Her heart no longer sang out, welcoming the cold walls around.


    Glancing down with a blank face, Lutiel watched her hang on the chains, promptly flinching at the mellow noise coming from below. ¡®Huh?¡¯ A thought pervaded through, feeling the dripping sensations. Opening his palms, he stared down at himself.


    In one hand, the cold pommel glistened slightly, droplets splashing against it before scattering out on the surface. Meanwhile, the right palm simply garnered the tears swiftly draining out from his eyes.


    Despite that, his face garnered no emotions. Incessantly cold, he went back and forth, between the dead friend of his that he had just killed, as well as his crying self. There was simply no reason for him anymore.


    He grasped tightly on the leathered hilt, making it squeak before the cold sensation tightened the skin on his neck. Faint droplets gathered around his throat as the acute edge cut him at the bare touch.


    With a slow breath, he closed his eyes, grasping the weapon even tighter. Another breath passed, yet, he was still there, his arms impeded by a sudden distraction.


    Something glowed ahead of him, opening his eyes again. The whole figure of the saintess shining, it made his skewed attention flow directly on the corpse.

 107. A Cruel Fate 3

    He glanced down as white light overlapped the whole space, engulfing it to the point of him needing to block his sight with an arm. Still, with bits and pieces, he watched the girl seemingly dissipate into thin air, slowly disappearing from the space.


    Simultaneously, he caught a glimpse of something at the very last moment. She smiled at him, yet again. The derision she exuded washed over him, only for the man to drop down on his knees, staring at the empty chains bouncing off the floor.


    Wetting his knuckles with the tears coming out whilst they supported him, Lutiel sobbed silently, for countless breaths on end. Yet, he stopped eventually.


    Raising himself slightly to sit on the ankles, Lutiel¡¯s bare face glistened out underneath the faint crystals.


    Albeit having halted, the streams on his face had yet to dry off, leaving wet trails from the reddened eyes down to the chin. Staring ahead of himself without doing anything, Lutiel stayed silent for a while, unable to conjure but a smidgen of a thought within.


    Nonetheless, he needed to get up, as much as his head wanted to stay in the space for a few breaths longer. Listening to the thuds disrupting the peaceful airs, Lutiel slowly raised himself, although as the heavy breaths finally descended on him, his back kept facing the doors.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S HIM! Take him, you useless bastards!¡± A brutish, low voice befell through the space, Lutiel¡¯s face steadily turning to the side to witness the events. The guards he had knocked down ran towards him briskly while a brawny man in armor stood behind them, crossing his arms harshly as he watched the man¡¯s white hairs.


    Scrunching his nose after seeing the empty cell, the captain couldn¡¯t help but tighten his hands around his arms.


    Ahead, the two ran at the unimpressed man, his straight face gnawing at them slightly. Regardless, raising their hands, their respective elements flowed to the world. The guard on the left conjured a sphere of translucent water, quickly converging it into a sharp, pointed spike.


    The other followed in his attack, however, an earthly one hovered above his palm.


    Immediately, the two spells cut through the air, whistling in their way before arriving right against Lutiel¡¯s frame. However, the duo¡¯s eyes widened briskly.


    Put up quickly, his sword clashed against the magic, shattering both of their elements. Then, his figure flashed in front of them, flickering before they descended into darkness once again.


    ¡°Hmm!¡± The captain mumbled suddenly, seeing Lutiel¡¯s leg bend the metal around the guards¡¯ faces. Sleeping once more, only he was left to act. His arms moved immediately, breaking from their stupor to make the wind ravage through the dark space.


    ¡°Not only have you infiltrated my ranks, you also made the saintess disappear. This won¡¯t end easily for you, huh?¡± He spoke through the demonic tongue, at the same time swaying Lutiel¡¯s hair. However, seeing him stand in front of the wind without any struggles, the knight¡¯s brows furrowed.


    Seeing the man walk unhurriedly towards him, despite the lying guards moving through the floor, the captain clicked his tongue, retrieving one hand before a faint sphere appeared above the palm. Contorting the air around, it gradually grew in intensity, to the point of taking on a light, grassy hue.


    Exploding out of his hand, the sphere of condensed wind immediately hit the man¡¯s shoulder, making him tilt back slightly.


    Yet, that was all it did. Swiftly going back to the same position, only a portion of his armor was bent. And, feeling as the gales around him lessened, Lutiel took a swift step forward.


    Underneath the captain¡¯s fret, he appeared before him two breaths later, withstanding the next wave of elemental spells.


    ¡°Ghaaa! HAH!¡± The demon uttered abruptly, feeling warmth spread through his organs before glancing down. In between small slits along his armor plates, a blade went through, cutting the chainmail hidden underneath as though it was made from some plain fabric.


    Quickly losing his respires, the captain¡¯s square face gleamed at the man, a smear of blood tainting his lips. ¡°You, how can you defeat me? You¡¯re only a human¡­¡± he muttered out, only to falter about as Lutiel pushed deeper into the heart.


    Dropping to the floor with a thud, the man¡¯s eyes remained open, albeit their shine had diminished already. Without glancing back even once, Lutiel kept moving ahead of himself. One after another, he passed the cells stashed with prisoners, his sword sheathed in the scabbard once more.


    Omitting the faint whispers coming from the humans shackled beyond the bars, Lutiel took the stairs, breath after breath going further and beyond.


    With enough steps, he finally went out of the prison, passing through the metallic door lay on the ground, ripped apart from its hinges. ¡°HEY! Who the hell are you?¡± A voice stumbled upon him right as he exited the space, however, taking a meagre look at the priest, his arm slashed through the space, clenching itself into a fist before making the robed man fold down to the floor.


    Walking around the priest, his mind briskly followed what he remembered from his younger years, running around the palace while avoiding lectures from the priests.


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    After minutes of a steady stride, he finally breathed the nippy air again, however, he no longer glanced at the place.


    Rather, his eyes turned to the right. Despite the large building of the palace inviting himself, he simply kept staring, as though peering through to the other side. ¡®Are you seeing this? Can you hear my thoughts? If so, I hope you don¡¯t mind me stealing from you even more, brother.¡¯


    With clear thoughts, his calm face turned at the large fountains, in the middle of the road that connected the palace and the gates.


    ¡­


    ¡°What is it?¡± A grumpy voice descended through the veil of night, a bit rackety from the irk it felt. And, the heaviness only grew harsher at the response.


    ¡°Your majesty, it¡¯s a guest, but I don¡¯t know how to say this¡­¡± Coming from beyond the doors, a muffled voice explained, only broadening in annoyance.


    ¡°Haa, you useless pricks. Just tell me who it is, and why he bothers me at this hour,¡± the figure uttered out, promptly rustling about under his blanket before taking it off. In the silky, violet robes, a decrepit body hid itself, tightened away by two straps and quick hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your majesty¡­¡± the voice struggled about yet again, following on swiftly. ¡°You should really see this on your own, your highness,¡± the guard added, making the man groan faintly.


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯ll be executed first thing in the morning for this, regardless who it is,¡± his wrinkly face spoke away, illuminated lightly from the starry rays coming through the unveiled window. ¡°Where is he?¡± He asked once more, promptly furrowing his brows.


    ¡°In the throne room, your majesty,¡± still beyond the doors, the uncertain voice settled, making silence grow about.


    ¡°Why have you allowed him there without my permission?¡± An aggrieved tone fell on the guards, making them squirm out weak responses.


    ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s that person, your highness,¡± another voice cut in, the other guard swiftly explaining before making the man¡¯s eyes flinch.


    ¡°I have to see them on my own, it seems. Damn imbeciles,¡± he spoke out with a breathy whisper, not yet closing his mouth. ¡°Open the doors and lead me to the guest that disrupted my sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your majesty!¡± They said aloud in unison, briskly parting the room¡¯s entrance before witnessing the emperor¡¯s nightly robes. Without glancing once more, they awaited his steps, walking on each side, one step behind.


    Steadily, while the man¡¯s face turned a bit tart, they gradually reached the room, illuminated with the light of the crystals. And, practically immediately, his face dropped after witnessing the figure standing in the very center.


    ¡°Ahh, ah,¡± he let out inaudible noises as his jaw shook slightly. The white hair he donned, although slightly different, still reminded him of certain shades. His eyes, different than usual, still didn¡¯t deter the old ruler. Instead, he glanced at his light features, his knees instantly dropping to the red carpet entwined with golden fabrics.


    Gathering up to moisten his scleras, the tears swiftly trickled down his face as he uttered his name. ¡°Raphael,¡± he said softly, making the guards move away from their spot, leaving the two to converse freely.


    Meanwhile, as the name was called out, the man standing frozen in place smiled faintly, before parting his lips. ¡°I¡¯m back, father,¡± he said, walking towards the emperor with unhurried feet. Regardless, getting close to the man eagerly eyeing him, he could finally take a closer inspection of his old face.


    Albeit aged more than what he would have guessed, the armored man still easily saw through the wrinkled expression. The sleek length of the face, with angles befit the monarchy, along with the straight, platinum hairs flowing down his back, he was definitely the hero¡¯s father. ¡®Thaev de Vieux,¡¯ Lutiel wondered to himself with a smiling face, promptly lowering his hands.


    ¡°Please, let me help you,¡± he spoke, the emperor¡¯s hand swiftly grasping onto him, holding it as tight as he could, as though he feared that he might slip away one more time.


    Holding his trembling figure, Lutiel glanced deeply into his sky blue eyes crying away, the emperor promptly exhaling before luring his son forward.


    Closing the eyes as he hugged the man, Thaev dug into the armor, as deeply as he could. Clenching his arms tightly, he sobbed sounder than before, unable to restrain the emotions cobbled up inside.


    On the other side, the hero reciprocated the actions. Albeit, with much less strength. The man simply rested the hand on his back. Staring at the regal scape scattered out in front of him with blank eyes, Lutiel breathed calmly, listening to the faltering wails and sniffs.


    ¡°H-how?¡± The emperor finally muttered, stuttering. Still hugging his son tightly, his tongue continued swiftly. ¡°You were pronounced dead, by the saintess herself. How are you alive?¡± Mingling with the sobs, his shaking mouth hit against Lutiel¡¯s shoulder, finally stopping his silence.


    Struggling to wriggle out of his grasp, the man still got away in the end, despite the clear dejection in Thaev¡¯s eyes. Regardless, he held onto the emperor¡¯s shoulders, looking deeply into his eyes. A gleam turned across his purple vision, one of solemn somber.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know myself, father. It was all¡­ so¡­ eerie. It felt as if I was sleeping at all times, only to awaken at the right moment. A lot has happened, but I¡¯m back home in the end, am I not?¡± He spoke with a tongue that broke occasionally, the eyes of his starting to stagger with fluids.


    ¡°Y-yes, yes, that¡¯s right, Raphael. You¡¯re back now, you¡¯re back,¡± the emperor spoke with a quick mouth, bringing his son closer to him once more.


    Resting his chin on his shoulders, he added. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being so sudden, son, but I have to ask. What about the artifact? She said that it was gone, that it disappeared completely,¡± he asked, making Lutiel glance at the floor for a moment, his eyes clear of previous emotions.


    ¡°No, sadly, I couldn¡¯t find my sword anywhere. It¡¯s gone,¡± he said regrettably, shaking his head slightly before feeling sudden movements. Getting away a bit, Thaev looked at him with momentarily creased eyebrows.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that damn sword, I can get you another like that. What about the hero¡¯s blood? Did it disappear as well?¡± He asked quickly, making the man churn internally. Musing for a while, he got fully out of his touch, moving back before raising his right hand.


    ¡°About that, I think you will like seeing this, father,¡± Lutiel said with a meek smirk on his face, Promptly taking off his gauntlet and glove at the same time. The pale arm swiftly illuminated itself beneath the crystals¡¯ light, right before he brought it higher and showed the emperor his wrist.

 108. A Cruel Fate 4

    With but a thought, the skin changed, taking on a deeper hue of dull blue, in the form of four streaks. Immediately as the ruler¡¯s eyes descended on the glyph, they widened to the limit. Even shaking as he kept staring at the mark, he only opened his mouth after a few breaths.


    ¡°What? Why has it doubled? No, no, that doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m sure you have no idea yourself. What about the artifact itself? Do you have it on you?¡± He asked, however, the man¡¯s face briskly puckered as Lutiel shook his head.


    Yet, immediately changing into a bright smile, the man exclaimed. ¡°It must have gone into your body. She did say that its power couldn¡¯t be brought out fully, specifically for that reason. Now that you have consumed it, the power is fully yours. It doesn¡¯t have to be split with three others. Maybe that¡¯s why you feel so strong now,¡± Thaev said to the still man, who simply listened with a straight face.


    ¡°That must be the case,¡± Lutiel muttered to himself, both promptly drowning in silence whilst staring at one another. With the glyph dying out, he swiftly put his armor back on, only to finally speak out again. ¡°Father, there is something important I must inform you about, and I¡¯d like to do it right now, but the pope needs to hear it as well¡± he eventually uttered, his eyes clean of any stupor.


    Hearing his son clearly, the man nodded fervently, only to fidget around the place, seemingly searching for something. ¡°Where the hell have they gone to?! Guards! Come back here!¡± He shouted, swiftly seeing the guards stumble about through the closed doors.


    ¡°Yes, your majesty?¡± They spoke with tired eyes, hastily standing upright before curiously glancing at the man that was the supposed sword hero. With a glare of reverie dulling in their pupils, they flinched at a sudden order.


    ¡°Call the palace. Tell them to get the pope over here. Immediately,¡± he said with deep fires embedded in his eyes, making the guards clench their jaws before nodding sharply and bowing their figures.


    ¡°Understood, your majesty. Should we use the hero¡¯s name if the pope disagrees?¡± The bowed knights asked, lingering in quietude as the emperor closed his mouth, quickly turning to the armored hero. Staying around his face for a while, Thaev finally looked at them again.


    ¡°Yes, do whatever to make sure he comes,¡± the emperor spoke out, making the guards stand upright before nodding once more. Immediately going away in a hurry and shutting the doors.


    Meanwhile, Thaev turned fully to the man, lingering about on his scabbard for a while before talking once more. ¡°Raphael, care to spar with this old man after so long?¡± He asked, a brimming smile stuck to his face before seeing his son smile lightly.


    ¡°Sure, but I don¡¯t guarantee I will be nearly as good as before. It¡¯s been a long time since my body moved the way it used to,¡± said Lutiel, the emperor already moving towards the sword standing near the armor behind the throne.


    ¡°Neither have I. I couldn¡¯t find a sense in the sword after hearing about your news. It¡¯s a different story now. Seeing you well and alive lit a fire inside that had been long since extinguished,¡± he said, grasping the hilt with his right hand before sharply pulling the blade out of the scabbard.


    Shining brightly, the white metal reflected itself in his hands, the man slowly heading to stand before his son. Simultaneously, Lutiel tossed his own weapon out, the one he had stolen from the demon guard.


    Before long, the two stood against each other, both planted in a similar stance. Lowered on the legs whilst pointing the sword up and at the sparring partner, they breathed calmly.


    Still, Thaev couldn¡¯t help but carry on the smile around his face. Sensing the glances peering through him from Lutiel¡¯s side, he spouted out. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m feeling needles stabbing through my heart. Good, son! It seems you¡¯ve finally learnt to disobey me, haha!¡± He laughed cheerily, swiftly stepping forward as he lurched at the pale man.


    Quickly, the sword appeared before the hero, cutting through the air whilst it moved up before slashing down. Yet, glancing at the flowing sword, Lutiel simply put his blade horizontally, thrusting it up as the emperor¡¯s weapon landed on the metal.


    Breaking his stance apart completely, Thaev¡¯s widened eyes before he realized what sort of position he found himself in. His longsword going high from the son¡¯s moves, he opened himself to him completely, his brightly fluttering robes stopping as Lutiel placed his blade¡¯s tip against his chest.


    ¡°Heh, hehehe! What the hell was that? Didn¡¯t you say something else just a moment ago?¡± The emperor asked, with a somewhat nervous laughter echoing through the space.


    Despite lingering in the place for a while, the man finally retracted his sword, putting himself into a stance again before spouting. ¡°It¡¯s a simple move. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because you were still sleeping just a few minutes ago, father. You need to warm up properly,¡± he said, seeing him release a shallow breath before grinning away.


    Placing the sword before him, Thaev stepped away, only to rush in once more. ¡°You said you were sleeping all this time, right? When did you wake up?¡± He finally asked, right as the blades clanged out their existence.


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    ¡°A few weeks ago now. I needed a while to figure things and myself out, but I was able to get back here, as you can see,¡± Lutiel said, pressing against the sword trying to impede his movements. Still, with a single, simple push, the emperor fell off his tracks immediately, as though the man stood in front of a sapling


    Once more, the one in front of him staggered to the side, his sword dropping to the ground before being pinned by the tip, albeit it still didn¡¯t penetrate. ¡®This is meant to be one of the greatest knights to ever live?¡¯ Lutiel wondered, however, his mind was swiftly taken over by his voice.


    ¡°Did you train in that sleep of yours or what? You¡¯re even stronger than before. I can¡¯t imagine what sort of power you will achieve when you activate the glyph,¡± with a smile swelling across his mouth, Thaev said, somewhat stopping Lutiel in his motion.


    Despite finding himself staring deeply at the smile, he still continued to do it, glancing only at the joyous lips. Yet, he acted eventually, watching the emperor move to attack once again.


    This time, slashing from the side, Lutiel simply pointed the sword down from the side, prying it away with a faint hit on the blade. Although he used meager strengths, it still went according to his wishes.


    Forgetting to look at his blade, the man moved whilst looking only at the ruler¡¯s face, still successfully providing the attacks. Once more, he arrived at the man¡¯s defenseless figure. Yet, the emperor did nothing but smile away at the actions, eager to ask more questions to the son he hadn¡¯t seen in such a long time.


    ¡°Where were you all this time? Was the food at least good? Did you find some friends?¡± All sorts of inquiries reverberated throughout his mind, alas, Lutiel gave straight, terse answers. Focusing more around his face, he engraved the smile in his head.


    ¡®Did you ever smile at me like that?¡¯ Lutiel asked himsel, only to flinch away from his face, seeing the struggle it put up with. Quickly lowering his sight, the man saw his blade pushing slightly through the neck, making him part his lips briskly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, father, I lost focus for a moment,¡± he said, swiftly seeing his brows crease up.


    ¡°Sorry? Why? Don¡¯t be! You¡¯re strong now! Extremely strong! You won¡¯t have to worry about them not allowing your marriage with Sheila now. I guarantee even those elves in her Kingdom will finally agree to it,¡± said Thaev, quickly witnessing his son¡¯s face go down to the floor for a moment.


    ¡°Right, Sheila. I also wanted to meet her, but I heard some rumors about her. That she was apparently hidden from the public?¡± Lutiel asked, however, the man only furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first time I hear about it. You should ask the pope when he comes. Ah, speak of the devil,¡± the emperor swiftly tossed the sword back in his scabbard as he heard the heavy commotion, promptly leaving Lutiel to linger on his own as he moved closer to the doors.


    ¡®No, there¡¯s no need for that anymore, father,¡¯ he thought to himself, staring with a solemn gaze as the back headed for the doors, beginning to open about.


    Incomparable those the emperor had at bay, their silvery armor glimmered out beneath the lights, a lack of weapons present around them.


    ¡®Demons, again,¡¯ judged Lutiel, peering through the eyes on the almost fully covered heads of theirs. Wearing flattened at the top helmets, entwined with strokes of gold along the whitened metal, it didn¡¯t match their relatively lanky bodies.


    Regardless, Lutiel briskly washed his sight over them. Stood in between the two highly armored guards, the stout man donned a flowing robe, glistening out beyond his back for a few more steps. Dragging it through the floor, his graceful being invited itself upon the room, golden gleams surrounding his presence throughout, especially through the circle in the center of his mitre, surrounded by undulating, acute spikes.


    Despite seeing the pope directly in front of him, Lutiel  failed to bow down. Instead, he traveled up to the wrinkled, grayish face, on the verge of his own paleness. Quickly, he looked at the faintly brown eyes, the pope glancing through him similarly.


    For countless breaths, the one at the very top of the church scoured through the man, searching through his features, only to finally part his lips.


    ¡°Get away from this room. And don¡¯t listen in on us or I¡¯ll cut your ears off,¡± the man spoke out lightly, making his guards hesitate before eventually nodding. Albeit looking at Lutiel for a while, they promptly turned around, closing the doors sharply before the three remained alone.


    Almost immediately, the pope added on, taking his robed arms behind his back before resting them there. ¡°How are you still alive?¡± He asked, a clear face of curiosity settling on him. However, he could only crease his eyebrows at the answer.


    ¡°I have no idea. I was asleep for most of the ten years I was gone for. And when I finally woke up, I could hardly differentiate whatever was happening for the first few days ,¡± said Lutiel, making the pope take a glance at the emperor.


    Though, not finding much there, he simply turned back to the sword hero, slowly walking ahead whilst brushing his robe along the red carpet.


    Stopping a step or so away from the duo, the pope kept staring at his face. ¡°What was it that you wanted to inform us about? I heard it is very important,¡± he finally said, Lutiel nodding slightly.


    Not hesitating in the slightest, he finally spoke away. ¡°I believe I have some news about Lutiel¡¯s state, but I need to confirm something first. My memory is still quite foggy,¡± Lutiel¡¯s voice travelled through the space, making both of the people¡¯s brows stagger about, furrowing.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± The pope swiftly asked, somewhat perplexed.


    Meanwhile, the emperor turned to his son, looking at him whilst taking grasp of his shoulders. ¡°Are you sure? We were certain he was dead together with you.¡±


    However, despite the words, Lutiel shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not perfectly certain as it appeared through flickering images, but right before the explosion happened, I think I saw someone with three horns and wings fly away with him in their hands,¡± he said, immediately making both of their faces quiver.


    ¡°No, no, no, this can¡¯t be,¡± the pope muttered under his breath, his eyes widened to the brink.