Chapter 85
Lucifer’s lips were stained with the drink Katrina had handed him.
His crimson eyes stared at Katrina with an almost intoxicated excitement. The tips of his fingers, gripping her waist, trembled as if craving more.
More. More.
His red eyes seemed to say that.
Katrina shivered under the gaze of a man who seemed ready to devour her. The heat radiating from him made cold sweat form on her skin.
Katrina glanced around, gauging the situation. It seemed like it was about time to move her lips.
‘Lucifer, enough.’
She gave a subtle signal with her eyes and slightly turned her head.
But the hand gripping her waist tightened. Katrina froze.
…What?
He’s not letting go?
Katrina shot him a sharp glance, and Lucifer’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.
His bright red gaze looked at her with a kind of rapture.
Katrina pressed her hand harder against his arm, trying to pull herself away.
She pressed with her nails—sharply into his skin, almost digging in.
It would probably hurt quite a bit. Yet Lucifer only seemed more excited, gripping her waist even tighter.
Katrina panicked.
Could this really be happening…?
“Haa…”
Smack.
After finally pressing his lips against hers one last time, Lucifer let her go.
A soft whisper reached her ear.
“Consciousness… is fascinating.”
The service ended.
“Until next time, Rina.”
Helaio the priest smiled at Katrina and then turned to Lucifer standing beside her.
“Perhaps your younger brother will join us next time.”
Helaio’s smile was gentle as he addressed Lucifer.
“I would love to attend again. It truly was an enchanting experience.”
Katrina shot Lucifer a glance.
“The devotion of you two siblings is truly admirable,” Helaio seemed genuinely moved.
“Thank you, Father Helaio,” Katrina replied.
Meeting him this time would be the last, but Helaio, oblivious, simply waved and went into the chapel.
‘At least I know who cast the curse… that’s a relief.’
But there were two remaining problems.
First, would Damian have to kill Belec? That would complicate things.
The second problem…
Was the man beside her.
Because of Belec’s reckless actions, Abice almost got labeled as a heretic.
And, of course, Lucifer had witnessed it all…
“I won’t tell him.”
“Huh?”
“It would be inconvenient, Katrina.”
“…Exactly.”
She knew full well.
In truth, Katrina didn’t care what happened to Abice. Whether he fought with the temple or not was of no concern to her.
But if he found out now…
‘My wish stone!’
The mere thought made her shiver.
How had it come to this…
“Why are you promising to keep it secret?”
Still, Katrina couldn’t fully trust Lucifer. He needed to be someone reliable, after all.
She remembered what had happened in the Asius estate.
He had hit her hard from behind.
“I like Damian,” she said, turning to Lucifer.
“So, Damian needs to kill Belec Abice to survive, right?”
“….”
“Why would I interfere? Katrina will handle it herself.”
…If it came out like that, that would be a relief.
Damian killing Belec Abice… just thinking about it made things complicated.
“Will you attend the service next time?”
“No, I won’t.”
Having identified the culprit, she had no reason to return. She had uncovered all the secret happenings within the chapel.
Her mission there was now complete.
“That’s a pity.”
“….”
“I liked it, though.”
She briefly considered giving him a smack.
“Then what are you going to do?”
Originally, Katrina’s goal was to uncover the secret events at the Sun Society meetings and report them to the Pope. But…
“I’m still thinking about what to do.”
“You came here under the Emperor’s orders, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
Katrina didn’t quite understand Lucifer’s words; they seemed inconsistent. Maybe it was just her imagination.
“I don’t want to do you a favor… what should I do then?”
“….”
Whatever reason that was, it was absurd. But it didn’t matter.
For Katrina, it was advantageous if Lucifer remained silent.
Otherwise…
He might snatch the representative role for the wish stone negotiation.
If Damian recovered, the Abice duke would immediately entrust the wish stone negotiations to him.
“I have to go now, Lucifer. I should head back.”
“I’ll see you again, Katrina.”
Katrina frowned at his words.
She didn’t want to see him again.
Then…
Lucifer kissed her on the forehead.
Katrina’s eyes shot open, but he looked genuinely pleased.
Katrina returned to the mansion.
She was unsure how to explain things to Damian.
“Belec cursed you, so he might need to be killed. That might lift your curse…”
…She couldn’t say that.
She worried about what to do with Belec.
The best course of action…
Katrina recalled what was written in Arabella’s notes.
‘It said something about fulfilling one’s desires.’
She would lift the curse that way and completely remove Belec from the household.
‘I’ll let Damian know and let him decide.’
That was the best she could do.
What she could do for Damian…
She didn’t want Arabella’s child to die.
But she couldn’t concern herself with Damian’s matters as well…
They intensely disliked each other.
“Miss, should I deliver the letter as is?”
“Yes, please deliver it.”
Katrina sent a letter to the Vatican.
‘I need to be certain.’
She couldn’t trust the Abice duke’s feelings—they could change at any moment.
After sending the letter, Katrina sat on the sofa in the mansion hall.
The mansion was silent as if no one were there.
It felt so strange to have such a leisurely moment after all the busyness she’d endured.
‘Doesn’t anyone know grandmother is coming back?’
She had received a letter from Hildegarde, so she assumed the rest of the family would know, but no one mentioned it.
Was she the only one Hildegarde wrote to?
Why?
Katrina gave up trying to read her grandmother’s mind and leaned back on the sofa.
With everyone gone, it was quiet and nice…
‘I’m sleepy.’
Fatigue quickly washed over her.
Having resolved everything, her tension completely melted.
Just a brief nap, maybe.
No one was around, so she could rest comfortably.
Damian returned to the mansion and found Katrina asleep on the sofa.
Why was she sleeping here?
He tried to ignore her and pass by.
Thud.
A sound of something falling made him turn his head.
It was a book Katrina had been holding, now dropped.
Damian observed her, still showing no signs of waking, and approached.
As he reached to pick up the fallen book…
“Mm…”
Katrina let out a soft murmur in her sleep.
Damian’s gaze lingered on her forehead, noticing the slight tremble of her lashes and the subtle furrow of her nose…
Her slightly parted and closed crimson lips… all of it.
What was she thinking?
Damian put the book back down and braced himself on the sofa.
He stared at the sleeping Katrina, recalling her previous words.
“Could you… kiss me?”
Of all things, that question came to mind again.
Could he do it? She had asked.
Damian looked down at her delicate face. His hand clenched the sofa tightly.
This was madness.
Utter madness.
Damian hastily tried to get up.
At that moment…
“…Damian?”
Berta called out to him, witnessing the scene.
