Chapter 70
The Smallest Prison
Delphine woke up late the following afternoon.
As her aching body slowly rose, she noticed the crimson glow of sunset outside the window.
“Everyone… they’re safe, right?”
Only now did that thought occur to her.
She had sunk so deeply into ecstasy that she forgot about justice—forgot about her comrades. She felt disgusted with herself.
“You’re awake.”
Just then, Ioan stepped through the half-open door of the boudoir.
In his hands was a silver tray with a simple meal.
Delphine suddenly realized she was completely naked and quickly pulled the white blanket over her body.
Surely, he doesn’t expect me to eat in bed like this?
Her suspicions were confirmed as he approached the bed with an utterly composed expression.
“…I’ll get properly dressed and go down to the dining room to eat.”
Ioan gently responded in a concerned tone.
“The stairs might be a bit difficult for you right now.”
At that, Delphine’s face turned bright red.
Seeing her flustered expression, the man’s eyes darkened dangerously.
Startled, Delphine pulled the blanket up to her chin.
She couldn’t take any more of this.
She had to ask about her comrades—and more urgently, her body simply couldn’t endure him any longer.
Thankfully, he seemed to recognize that, as he licked his lips with his crimson tongue before speaking.
“…Of course, if that’s what you wish, I’ll escort you to the dining room.”
Delphine didn’t protest when he helped her wash and dress.
She truly didn’t have the strength to lift a finger.
And so, after a full day, she finally stepped outside the boudoir.
But as they descended the stairs to the first floor, Delphine noticed something strange.
She had worried about facing the servants, but the mansion was eerily silent.
As if the two of them were the only ones there.
“…Ioan. Where is everyone?”
“Oh. I dismissed them all.”
He answered casually.
The haze of drowsiness from her overworked body vanished in an instant.
“…Dismissed them? All of the servants?”
“Yes. From now on, I’ll personally attend to all your needs, so you needn’t worry.”
He said it so breezily.
Delphine opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words. At last, she stammered out:
“But y-you won’t be able to help me dress. And styling my hair too…”
He didn’t even look at her as he lazily muttered:
“…Well. I don’t suppose you’ll have much reason to go out anymore.”
A chill ran down her spine.
Of course.
It had been too easy.
After everything—the deception, the betrayal, even her false confession of love—he had let it all go far too quietly.
This man… he had no intention of letting her leave.
He meant to keep her locked in this mansion forever. So she could never betray him again. So she could never step outside and cause trouble.
Delphine trembled, her face turning pale.
“Oh my, Del. Are you cold?”
His thick arms wrapped around her slender waist.
“Shall we go back to the bedroom? If you’d stayed under the covers, I could have fed you bite by bite.”
Burying his face against her neck, the man whispered:
“Don’t worry. I’ll provide you with everything you need… right here. Forever.”
Chapter 6. Upheaval
“Just now…”
Deep beneath the imperial palace, in the underground prison.
Lyn, who hadn’t slept a wink all night, opened his eyes sharply and murmured.
“I felt a disturbance.”
Vellie, who was also awake, immediately asked,
“What kind of disturbance?”
Marianne, who had recovered her senses over the past day, listened quietly.
Lyn whispered low enough that the guards wouldn’t hear.
“The power of the black crystal wavered. To be precise… I think it was neutralized for a moment.”
“…!”
How could this be?
What could possibly disrupt the power of the black crystal in the empire of that demon?
Vellie, who had been deep in thought, muttered under his breath,
“…Hey, friends. What do you think would happen if a child of the divine and a demon… lay together?”
Lyn scowled, clearly understanding the implication.
Marianne asked quickly in his place.
“You mean Delphine and that man…? You’re saying the black crystal was weakened because of that, Vellie?”
“It’s just a theory… But everything happening in this empire now—none of it has ever occurred in history…”
“Dear god. He must not have expected this either. That he locked the three of us together like this… but damn it!”
Marianne shouted in frustration.
“Lyn doesn’t have any posium!”
She cursed loudly and repeatedly.
“If we had posium, we could’ve escaped instantly!”
“Well, actually…”
Vellie suddenly pulled a clear crystal from inside his mouth.
It was small but emitted a brilliant light—posium.
Lyn and Marianne shouted in shock.
“How the hell…?!”
“I hid it in my body. Don’t ask me how,” Vellie said playfully.
“I’d like to maintain some human dignity, you see.”
“Damn! You’re infuriatingly smart!”
Marianne threw her arms around him and shouted,
“If only you’d share more of those damn good ideas of yours!”
“Lyn. How about now? Is the black crystal still powerless?”
Vellie handed the posium to Lyn and asked softly.
Lyn took it and calmly closed his eyes.
Soon, a shimmering magic circle began to glow beneath them.
“…It worked!”
Vellie’s eyes gleamed.
“Just to be safe, let’s go to the safe house in the east rather than headquarters.”
The radiant light from the magic circle engulfed their bodies.
Magic and strength were useless in this underground prison.
So the guards, who had been chatting lazily against the wall, were caught off guard when they saw the light and rushed to the cell.
“Hey, what was that light just now…?”
But all they found was an empty cell—no trace of its former occupants.
“…Shit.”
They stared at each other, pale as ghosts.
“We’re dead.”
“Report it! To His Majesty—no, to the Marquis first!”
“They escaped,” Pride said.
In the office of the Pride estate.
Walter stood straight, tense from his master’s grave expression.
“We searched thoroughly, but couldn’t find any trace of an escape route. As you know, the place is…”
“Where they imprisoned witches and warlocks during the witch hunts.”
Which meant magic didn’t work there.
Being buried beneath the heart of the palace, physical escape was also impossible.
Then… how?
“In connection with this, sir…”
Walter cautiously continued, watching Pride’s reaction.
“Yesterday, for a full day, both His Majesty and members of Veritas reported being unable to use the black crystal’s power.”
“…The black crystal?”
Yesterday—the day Delphine and he had first come together.
…Damn.
A realization struck Pride.
For the first time, his expression twisted with emotion.
It wasn’t hard to connect the dots.
Delphine alone had been immune to brainwashing—to the demon’s power.
Likely because she was a descendant of the saintess.
So… during intercourse with her, the power he gained from his demon contract was neutralized?
Pride clenched his jaw until the muscles twitched.
He had gained this power solely for her sake.
But to lose it when he was with her—when he loved her?
Was there anything more ironic?
Yet the most ridiculous thing of all… was that he still wanted to hold her again—even knowing the risk.
No, he would hold her again. Without a doubt.
Now that he had experienced this ecstasy and bliss, he could never go back.
“…Track down those escaped rats. If they took the posium from headquarters, they won’t be able to use magic too freely.”
Then, after a slight pause, Pride added coldly,
“Also, increase the security around the mansion.”
Walter looked confused.
To him, this man was the strongest in the empire.
There seemed nothing in the world that could harm him.
So why the need for such heavy protection around the mansion?
The idea that it wasn’t to keep intruders out—but to prevent someone from escaping—never even occurred to him.
Still, Walter didn’t question the order.
A soldier never doubts his commander.
He simply saluted and left the office.
The hallway was empty.
Strangely, the Pride estate felt devoid of people today.
Only one faint light flickered—beneath the door to what he assumed was the couple’s bedroom.
“…The lady… is she okay?”
He remembered how twisted his master’s mood had been before last night’s mission.
But then again, he also remembered how gently his master had carried her out of the basement.
“Well, I’m sure she’s fine.”
Just a… very intense lovers’ quarrel, perhaps.
And with that soldier’s simplicity, Walter shrugged off the thought and strolled out of the quiet mansion.
