Chapter 116

EP.116 Rest for an Old Love #2

“Wow! How did you do that?”

Meril, with her mouth wide open, drooling.

Yuria, who was slightly floating above the ground, shrugged her shoulders with a playful expression.

“It’s my ability.”

“I’m so jealous! Can you fly high too?”

“Of course. Want to fly together?”

“Yes!”

“Come here.”

As Yuria spread her arms, Meril hopped over and turned her back.

A gesture asking to be hugged. Yuria chuckled and wrapped her arms around Meril’s neck and back.

Meril, feeling her body slowly rise, swallowed nervously.

But upon feeling Yuria’s warm touch, she soon became dazed and rubbed her cheeks.

“Meril, stay still. You shouldn’t move, okay?”

“Got it.”

The two rose higher and higher.

Higher than the tallest tree in the mountains, higher than the pointed tower of the castle.

“Wow…”

Meril, floating high in the air, was amazed by the view of the castle.

Yuria felt the same.

The view of Tairat’s castle and its surroundings from above was incredibly beautiful.

Beside them was a mountain with the sound of insects, and beyond that, a sea bathed in moonlight.

The scenery was breathtaking. Even the winged demons flying around the castle added to the atmosphere.

It made her want to live here.

“Lady Yuria! That’s my house over there!”

Meril, admiring the mountain view, pointed to the mountainside with her finger.

Yuria, snapping out of her thoughts, asked.

“Want to go there now? Or stay a bit longer?”

“Hmm… Let’s stay a bit longer!”

“Alright.”

Yuria, smiling, flew around with Meril in her arms.

The sound of Meril’s laughter. Seeing Meril so happy made Yuria feel good too.

After flying around the castle for a while, the two landed on the mountainside.

Coming down, the dense vegetation showed a new kind of beauty.

The smell of earth, the unique tranquility of the mountains, and the azaleas spread around brought peace to her heart.

She was gradually assimilating into this demon realm.

And unlike before, she didn’t want to deny these feelings now.

“Lady Yuria! This way!”

Meril, excitedly jumping around, called out.

She seemed eager to invite Yuria to her home.

“Meril, the other demons need to sleep too. We should be quiet.”

“Ah, right. Got it.”

Meril, a bit embarrassed, put her index finger to her lips.

A cute sight. Yuria’s lips curled up on their own.

Meril’s house was located under a large, noticeable tree on the mountainside.

Near the roots was a tunnel just big enough for a grown man to squeeze through.

It seemed like they’d have to crawl to get in, which was a bit troublesome.

What if the new dress Tairat gave her got dirty?

But they needed to investigate Meril’s house… No choice.

She could just ask for a new one later.

“I’ll go in first.”

“Why?”

“In case that intruder is back and sleeping inside, it could be trouble. You stay up in the tree.”

“Hmm… Alright. If it’s dangerous, shout. I’ll come save you.”

Who does she think she’s saving, being so weak…

But her sincerity was genuine, so Yuria just smiled in response.

After Meril hopped up onto a high tree branch, Yuria took a deep breath and prepared to lower her stance.

But then…

“No need for that.”

Tairat’s deep voice came from behind.

Startled, Yuria screamed.

“Ahhh!”

Meril quickly jumped down, closed her eyes tightly, and started hitting Tairat’s legs.

“Yah! Yah!”

She even let out a loud battle cry… But what could a weak demon who’s never fought do?

Tairat’s body didn’t budge, of course.

“Meril, it’s me.”

“Yah! Huh? Lord Demon King?”

Meril opened her eyes, stopped punching, and tilted her head.

A look of confusion. Tairat gently stroked her hair.

“It’s resolved. Let’s go back.”

Yuria, who had been leaning against a tree trunk with her hand on her chest, taking deep breaths, got angry.

She hated Tairat for scaring her and then acting so calm.

No, to be precise, she was sulking.

She pouted her lips.

“Aren’t you going to apologize? I almost died of fright!”

“You’re quite the scaredy-cat, aren’t you?”

“That’s not it…”

Yuria, about to argue, shut her mouth.

She always lost when arguing with Tairat.

Even if she resisted out of sheer stubbornness, he always refuted with a calm face… She didn’t want to waste her energy.

“Ah… Whatever. I’ll stop talking… But what do you mean it’s resolved?”

“Exactly that. While you two were sleeping, I finished the investigation.”

“You said you wouldn’t get involved?”

“I had nothing else to do, so I handled it myself. Caught the intruder and locked him up.”

“Execution, of course?”

Tairat made a puzzled face at that.

“Hmm. I wonder if you’d welcome an execution.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Let’s head back.”

Tairat reached out to Meril.

Meril, surprised, looked up at Tairat, then giggled and took his hand.

Seeing this, Yuria, for some reason, quickly ran over and grabbed Meril’s other hand.

And so, the three began to descend the quiet mountain.

Like a happy couple on a family picnic.

@@

After bringing Meril back to the castle, the two headed to the prison.

On the way, Yuria heard from Tairat about the intruder’s details.

“A human male… in his 20s…?”

Tairat silently nodded.

Yuria quickly realized who the captured person was.

A human male in his 20s found in the mountains? There’s only one person.

The answer came immediately.

“Aaron… right?”

“Correct.”

It was indeed Aaron.

After taking the portal, something went wrong, and he ended up wandering the mountains, accidentally finding Meril’s house and staying there for a day.

Now Yuria understood Tairat’s earlier comment about whether she’d welcome an execution.

Aaron was someone she had promised to marry. He must have thought there were still feelings.

But Yuria didn’t care if Aaron lived or died.

She just didn’t want to kill him with her own hands, as he was someone she once cared for.

“I see…”

“Are you sure you want to see him?”

“I’m fine. Just don’t get any strange ideas.”

Arriving at the prison, they descended the stairs under the guard’s guidance.

Passing through the corridors, the kingdom’s people looked at Yuria with Tairat in surprise, but thinking they were negotiating, they didn’t cause any trouble.

Reaching the 9th basement floor, Yuria heard a strange sound.

Grrr… Grrrrr…

A mix of beast and human-like crying.

Yuria stopped in the 9th-floor corridor and asked.

“Did you handle Aaron roughly? Has he gone mad?”

“Just found him, subdued him, and locked him up.”

“Really…?”

“Let’s go in.”

Tairat led the way. Yuria hurriedly followed.

Stopping at the farthest cell, Tairat gestured for Yuria to take a look. Yuria approached and looked inside, slightly surprised.

A disheveled lunatic in just his underwear was pacing around the cell, scratching the walls.

Despite the dirt and dried blood, his handsome face was unmistakably Aaron.

“Grrr…! Ugh…”

Yuria’s eyes met Aaron’s, who was wandering aimlessly like a zombie.

At that moment, Aaron rushed to the bars and shook them violently.

Clang!

His bloodshot eyes were filled with lust.

Drool dripped from his mouth, a sight Yuria found disgusting and unpleasant.

How could such a strong knight end up like this? Tairat said he didn’t do anything…

Yuria looked at Aaron like a zoo monkey and asked Tairat.

“Why is he like this?”

“He’s consumed by desire.”

“That’s why I’m asking why he’s consumed by desire.”

Tairat slightly leaned down to meet Yuria’s eyes.

“What, what…? Why are you…?”

Flustered, Yuria slightly lowered her head.

He didn’t answer, just stared at her face intently before straightening up.

“You seem fine. I can tell you.”

“I said I’m fine…”

“Good. That guy raped a succubus. Mixing with a succubus without consent drives you mad. He forced himself on her dozens of times, and that’s why he’s completely lost it. Now he’s just a lunatic.”

The shocking news from Tairat.

Yuria’s eyes widened.

She wasn’t surprised that Aaron was a lunatic.

She was shocked by the part about raping a succubus.

“…What…? Rape?”

“He was slaughtering demons in the mountains, and as his mind deteriorated, he couldn’t control his desires and likely overpowered a succubus who looked human.”

“…..”

“The succubus he raped wished for death. I granted her peace.”

Yuria’s face turned solemn.

Deeply empathetic to the demons’ lives, she felt great sorrow for the succubus’s death.

At the same time, Aaron was utterly pathetic.

Despite hating demons so much, he satisfied his desires with one.

And not by consent, but by rape. Dozens of times.

It would be strange if she didn’t feel nauseous.

“After satisfying his desires, he roamed the mountains and killed dozens more demons. What if he had invaded when Meril was home?”

“Stop, stop talking!”

Yuria shook her head violently.

She didn’t even want to imagine Meril dying.

“He was a knight captain with a promising future, both physically and mentally strong. Yet he made an irreversible choice, indulging in slaughter out of anger. Human willpower is just that weak. They’re insignificant.”

Yuria wholeheartedly agreed with his words.

“Yeah… you’re right.”

At that moment, Yuria gave up on persuading her mother.

She deeply agreed with the ideology her mother had before becoming a demon.

The notion that demons were far nobler than trashy humans was firmly embedded in her mind.

Yuria’s clenched fist trembled.

She was ashamed to be human. She couldn’t even lift her head.

“Kwaaa…!”

Look at Aaron’s despicable state.

Not human, not demon… just a monster.

Such a monster invaded Meril’s house. Sparks flew from Yuria’s eyes.

Tairat, sensing her state, asked.

“What do you think?”

“He doesn’t deserve to live. I’ll handle it myself.”

The thought of not wanting to kill him with her own hands had long disappeared.

Meril was almost in danger. She was trembling with anger.

Only by killing him herself would she feel relieved.

Without hesitation, Yuria answered. Tairat, with a raised corner of his mouth, picked up a sword from the corner and handed it to her.

“This is…”

“I prepared it in advance.”

“You anticipated what decision I’d make?”

“Perhaps.”

An ambiguous answer.

Yuria felt like she was being played by Tairat.

It felt like he was pushing her to abandon all old feelings.

But it didn’t matter. Aaron deserved to die here.

“Kwaa…! Kwaaaak!”

Aaron, still shaking the bars.

Yuria, with indifferent eyes, thrust the sword into her former fiancé’s neck.

Thud…

The sharp tip of the sword pierced through the soft flesh,

“Gurgle…! Grrr…!”

Aaron’s body went limp, and blood foamed from his mouth.

Then, Aaron’s bloodshot eyes turned white.

It seemed his vitality returned just before death.

He looked at Yuria, with whom he had promised a hundred years of marriage, with incomprehensible eyes and tried to speak.

“Gurgle!”

Yuria frowned.

Not out of guilt, but because the human blood splattered on her neck when Aaron opened his mouth.

‘Disgusting…’

Thinking that, Yuria looked into Aaron’s eyes as the light of life faded.

Eyes full of despair. And sorrow.

It must have been unfair for his beloved fiancée to kill him.

But Yuria felt none of those trivial emotions.

Instead, she only felt a refreshing sensation, like swatting a mosquito.

Later, she should search the mountains in case there are more humans.

If there are, she’ll kill them all for Meril and the demons’ safety.

Thinking that, Yuria, through Aaron’s still-lit eyes, saw her own face… more precisely, her eyes.

Irises glowing deep purple and vertically slit pupils.

It was startling but also natural. These eyes felt like her original ones.

Yuria, gripping the sword’s hilt tightly, thrust it completely through Aaron’s neck.

Squelch…

With a chilling sound of the neck bone cleanly cutting, Aaron’s head tilted grotesquely.

His struggling body went limp, motionless.

As the filthy human blood dripped down the blade and soaked her shoes, Yuria, with an annoyed expression, pulled the sword out and tossed it aside.

Clang!

Then, she approached a mirror that had appeared in the corner and examined her face.

‘What?’

They were definitely purple, but now they’re back to normal.

Emerald-colored irises as usual. Pupils normal too.

Confused, Yuria looked up at Tairat.

“Well done.”

Hearing his praise, Yuria’s heart thumped loudly.

His voice sounded incredibly sweet.

Even though it was Tairat’s voice, it felt exactly like Jihyuk’s.

Her complicated feelings washed away, leaving her feeling refreshed.

Staring blankly at Tairat’s face, Yuria, with a blush, shyly replied.

“Ah, yeah…”

Tairat, with a satisfied look, suddenly turned his gaze to the air.

“Margaret, show yourself.”

A hidden demon portal opened its mouth and appeared.

From within, Margaret walked out, swaying her hips seductively.

“My, my… How did you know?”

“I sensed your presence. How did it look?”

He was asking for her thoughts on Yuria’s murder.

Margaret, glancing at her flustered daughter, giggled.

“My daughter, stabbing her lover’s neck with emotionless eyes… So treacherous♡ It made me wet.”

“Typical of you. Go wash up with Yuria. I’ll go ahead.”

“Sure~”

Tairat disappeared into the portal.

Left alone with Margaret, Yuria watched her mother lick her lips with a long tongue and rolled her eyes.

Wash up… His tone was so suggestive it made her swallow hard.

“Mom must follow the Demon King’s orders. Our daughter will too, right?”

Margaret’s soft yet lewd words.

Yuria weakly nodded.

“Yes…”

To be continued―――――――――――――――――――――

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