CHAPTER 12
As I lay quietly in Lufian’s arms on the bed, Maximilian slowly faded from my thoughts. After all, I had never once regretted listening to Lufian. In such a peaceful moment, I didn’t want to make space for anyone else. After spending such a drowsy afternoon, midnight had arrived before I knew it.
The promised time. But I didn’t go. Moonlight streamed in through the crack in the window and softly lit the bedroom wall. I played with the shadows there using my fingers. It was a little game I used to play back when I was Ailee, whenever I had nothing better to do.
“A rabbit.”
Lufian, who had been quietly watching me, spoke. His right arm was still wrapped around my waist, and his left arm lay beneath my head. I stopped playing with the shadows and, conscious of him embracing me from behind, asked:
“Did you not sleep?”
“I closed my eyes for a bit.”
Even as he said this, his voice still sounded tired. It was hard to tell because he always spoke in a languid tone, but I could guess. He must have only gotten a brief moment of rest during all the time he lay in bed.
“Get some sleep.”
“Hmmm, I’m not sleepy.”
“Then let’s get up. If we move around a bit, we’ll feel sleepy.”
I perked up at his admission of insomnia. I liked this peaceful time, but honestly, my body was uncomfortable. Still, Lufian didn’t seem interested in listening to me.
“No.”
He replied flatly. I massaged my sore neck with the palm of my hand. I might be a demon now and heal quickly, but it still felt stiff. I had tried to stay still while he held me as I slept, but being in his arms all day was a bit much. If I were still Ailee, my back or neck would be in excruciating pain by now. I struggled to remove just the arm beneath my head, but no matter how hard I pushed, it wouldn’t budge. Even though I was now strong enough to crush rocks to dust.
Eventually, I raised both hands and pleaded.
“At least move this arm, Lu.”
“No.”
It was a cold answer, but his arm was honestly more uncomfortable than a pillow. He immediately refused my request and hugged me even tighter. Despite his childish stubbornness, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him. His body was firm and his temperature cool, yet I never once thought his embrace lacked warmth. Even if I felt stiff, I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of his heartbeat.
“Ellie, you’re so warm. Is it because you’re half-human?”
“Demons have low body temperatures?”
“Generally, yeah. In summer, I use you like a personal heater.”
“I’m not a furnace, you know.”
So he had been hugging me all this time as a replacement heater? No wonder I felt drained. I pouted and struggled again to escape his hold. As expected, it was useless. All it did was wear me out. After a while, I finally spoke the truth.
“Lu, you’re too hard.”
“Hm?”
He replied as if he had no idea what I meant. After a moment of silence, he hugged me tighter.
“No, you’re too soft.”
“So I’m a stuffed toy now?”
He chuckled softly at my comment and spun me around to face him. Suddenly, his face was right in front of mine. Way too close. Our noses were practically touching. His scent overwhelmed me, and I instinctively pulled my head back, tightly shutting my eyes. My breathing became erratic like someone panicked. Then, Lufian gently cupped my face.
“How about this? Is my hand hard too?”
I slowly opened my eyes at the soft touch. For such long, graceful fingers, they were quite firm, and they cooled my cheeks. I nodded silently.
“And here?”
He guided my hand to his face. If there were a god, they must have carved and refined every line of his face with the utmost care. His skin was pale and smooth like marble. But it still left a strong impression of firmness. I brushed along the redness around his eyes and nodded again.
He hummed, seemingly in thought, then mischievously grabbed the back of my head.
“Then the only soft part must be right here.”
Smack. Our lips met and parted with a light touch. My mind went blank—I couldn’t even register what had just happened. The lips that had done nothing but speak suddenly felt hot. My blood felt like it was boiling. Just as he said, his lips were unbelievably soft, like cream.
My whole body thudded with each heartbeat. He said something, but my pounding heart drowned out all sound. It was so loud that he, pressed against me, must have heard it too.
This time, I actually managed to escape his embrace. Lufian let me go without resistance. I ran to the other side of the room, out of his reach, and only then dared to look back at him. Covering my burning lips with a palm, I mumbled:
“Don’t come near me for a while.”
Unable to calm my racing heart, I issued a no-contact order.
The festival lasted five days. One of those was the day I woke up, and another was spent lying in bed with Lufian—so only three remained. I spent two of those three days avoiding Lufian inside the mansion. I locked myself in the room where I’d first woken up or buried myself in books in what looked like a library.
Given that he had lived for over a thousand years, the books he had collected included ancient tomes you could no longer find. There were even banned books forbidden by imperial law. Books filled every inch of wall space from floor to ceiling, accessible only by ladder. Reading kept my mind off things. I read to forget about Lufian.
One book titled “The Demon and Me” turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining romance novel, even though I had picked it up hoping to learn more about half-demons. But finding books specifically about half-demons proved difficult. Asking Lufian was out of the question. I sighed deeply while wandering the library.
If he didn’t ruin my revenge, I believed I could accept anything Lufian did. But what was this situation? I couldn’t even approach him without my lips tingling as if struck by lightning.
And that wasn’t new. Lufian had always made me feel strange.
Since we both knew where the other was at any given time, it was easy to avoid each other. If he came my way, I’d flee to another room. Since I avoided him so clearly, he didn’t try to get close either. I remembered what he once said:
“If you don’t want me to, I won’t intrude.”
Thankfully, he was a considerate demon. I wasn’t used to such relentless affection. If he had ignored my refusals and pressed harder, I might have fled this place entirely. That’s how unfamiliar and fearful I was of love.
Every day, he left a bottle of blood on the table while I slept. The elegant handwriting on the note he left always read:
“Drink it consistently. Nutrition is important right now.”
As a demon, I no longer needed three meals a day, and I slept far less. One bottle of blood left me full for days. But Lufian insisted I consume a lot to recover my strength.
Even while avoiding him, I obediently drank everything he gave me, like a well-behaved child. Between meals and reading, the last day of the festival arrived before I knew it.
While I was on the second floor reading in the library, Lufian, who had stopped quietly at the first-floor staircase, suddenly spoke.
“I’m heading out for a bit. Something came up.”
Startled, I flinched. I’d been absorbed in my book and didn’t expect his voice. It was the first time our unspoken rule of silence had been broken.
Without thinking, I asked:
“Where to?”
“It won’t take long. I’ll be back soon.”
Now that I thought about it, I had vaguely heard the sound of water in the bathroom earlier. Lufian sometimes went out, but usually while I slept. It was the first time he had told me directly and during the early afternoon no less.
Was he going far? I suddenly felt my heart drop. I was only able to avoid him because of the powers I’d gained after awakening as a demon. He was always within the mansion while I was awake, and I felt safe knowing where he was.
“Will you be gone long?”
How far was he going? How long would he be away? My voice trembled with worry. He fell silent for a moment, perhaps because he noticed.
“…Should I come to you now?”
He had picked up on my anxiety immediately. I shook my head furiously. The image of his deep-red lips flashed in my mind again. If I saw him now, I didn’t know how I’d react. I couldn’t stay calm. I almost longed for Maximilian again—at least next to him, I only trembled with hatred or burned with rage, which made my mind feel clearer.
“Do you know the House of Cabre?”
Lufian asked. I cooled my flushed cheeks with my palms and nodded. The Cabre Duchy was known to all citizens of the Welton Empire, a prestigious house since the days of unification.
“I’m going there. You’ll need to settle in, too.”
“…The Cabre Duchy?”
“It’s necessary for your revenge. I’ll explain more when I get back. It won’t take long. Just take a nap, and I’ll be back before you know it. Since you don’t even want to see my face right now.”
That wasn’t intentional. His tone was no different than usual, but I started to fear I had disappointed him. That maybe he’d grow tired of me soon. I gripped my book tightly and bit my lip until blood oozed out. The taste was bitter, unlike the sweet taste of human blood.
“I’ll be back, Ellie.”
But that one sentence melted all my unease. It vanished like it had never existed.
“Take care.”
Though it was nothing special, intense emotion surged through me. He said he’d be back, so he would return.
I remembered watching my father from afar each morning as he boarded the carriage to the palace. My brother would ride with him, while the youngest would see them off. On the days my youngest sibling returned from the academy, I couldn’t step outside my room. I watched everything from my dark, unlit window, invisible to them.
I could see them—but they couldn’t see me. The glass was imported and specially made to block outside view. A ‘kind’ gesture from my father.
I heard the door close behind Lufian. I buried my face in my knees, hugging the book to my chest like it was something precious. Once his presence vanished completely, I whispered aloud again and again.
“Come back safe.”
Again.
“Come back, Lufian.”
And again.
“Please return safely.”
Next time, would I be able to say it to his face? What kind of expression would he make? Would he smile kindly, as always, and pat my head?
Waiting for someone is a blend of anxiety and anticipation.
Like getting soaked in a drizzle, I was slowly being tamed by him.
Author’s Note
The baby ran away after being teased… 8ㅅ8 Huff… I want to torment Ellie… tease her! Make her flustered! Make her cry! In truth, Lufian is the embodiment of the author’s delusion, created just to mess with Ellie (not really).
Maximilian will probably appear in the next chapter (not that anyone’s waiting).
Thanks to Noneunae for the support coupon!
And thank you to Rereushang and Master B for the fan art!
I might be able to post another chapter later today! But if likes and votes drop just because I update quickly, I’ll be sad and might not come back next time… (sad face)
I’ll upload the next chapter as soon as I write it. No clue when though. I’m such a slowpoke it might take a while, so please don’t stay up all night waiting for me! Sleep well, my lovelies, and protect your beautiful skin~
With that, I’m off to write the next chapter. Swoosh swoosh.
P.S.) Someone asked why I chose this title—actually, a friend made it up after hearing the gist of the story!
