‘But… even if I break the contract and try to run away, would it mean anything against someone with such power?’
From asking him to be friends, to mistakenly believing on my own that I knew him well, to trusting him without hesitation and entering into a contract with him. All of it had been my mistake.
As I silently waited for his answer, Rastan opened his mouth with the expression of a prisoner giving testimony in court.
“Do you remember that I said earlier that although I can use magical power, I cannot be called a mage?”
“Yes. Why?”
“That is… because I am one of the sources of mana.”
Mana was the fundamental energy from which magic originated, coming from nature.
‘It was said that different kinds of mana come from the five elements of nature, as well as light and darkness.’
Even though I knew the background knowledge, his words didn’t immediately make sense.
“How can mana come from a person? Are you saying you are a fire spirit or something?”
“I would rather that were the case.”
Just what was he trying to say? I met Rastan’s eyes and waited for his answer.
By now, I had grown slightly accustomed to it and could calmly look into his red eyes.
At that moment, the center of his pupil split vertically like a snake’s.
‘…!!’
At the visual shock, my heart dropped as if it had fallen straight to the ground.
Was this how a mouse or rabbit felt when meeting the eyes of a snake?
Watching my horrified expression, Rastan carefully confessed.
“I am… a demon.”
Perhaps because what he said was too absurd, my mind went completely blank.
The thought that it might be a lie or a joke didn’t even cross my mind.
Not only was he not someone who usually joked, but above all, the bitter and sorrowful expression on his face made it clear that it was the truth.
Rastan, who had been looking at me for a moment, quietly lowered his gaze.
Once freed from his gaze, all the senses that had felt paralyzed finally returned.
“You must be… very surprised.”
His voice was slightly lowered with concern, yet still low and warm as usual.
It felt like I should say something, so I opened my mouth first.
“I, um, I think I may have misheard, so… because of your eyes, I was startled…”
I continued speaking in a flustered, stumbling manner.
“No, I am sorry for being startled by seeing you, but I—”
The words I had been rambling out stopped only after meeting Rastan’s eyes again.
His eyes were still red, but his pupil had already returned to that of a human.
“I am sorry for startling you. And you probably did not mishear. I am.”
Rastan bit his lower lip tightly before speaking again.
“I am a demon. And one of fairly high rank. Some even call me a Demon God, or an Evil God.”
I also clenched my teeth and barely forced out my voice.
“You… said you are a demon? Right now…?”
Rastan gave a faint nod.
‘The handsome man sitting before me with a physical body… is a demon.’
Of course, I had never believed demons looked exactly like those depicted in religious paintings.
With horns growing from their heads, their entire bodies bright red, and huge bulging eyes rolling around.
Since they were spiritual beings anyway, I hadn’t thought they could be distinguished from humans or gods simply by their outward appearance.
‘But… he looks this normal. Who would ever think this person is a demon?’
However, the freely changing color of his eyes and the shape of his pupils clearly showed that he wasn’t human.
Even after witnessing his tremendous power, the change in his eyes felt more real to me.
‘To accept that he is truly a demon just because of that… is almost ridiculous.’
Before I knew it, like water slowly seeping in, I was gradually accepting his words as truth.
Then, the initial shock slowly changed into fear.
In our Empire, although the strength of belief varied from person to person, almost everyone believed in the God Legnin.
As such, demons were naturally regarded as evil and ominous beings that led people to hell.
As my fingertips grew cold, Rastan’s eyes returned to the blue color I knew.
“I changed them because I thought it might frighten you too much. Though it does not really matter anymore, since I have already shown you my true nature to the end.”
Only after seeing his eyes return to normal did my trembling body calm down.
‘Come to think of it…’
Perhaps because his familiar appearance reassured me, something finally came back to mind.
“I think I have seen your eye color mixed with red before. Maybe two or three times? But I do not know why all those memories are so vague, even though I was not drunk.”
It was true. I vaguely remembered those things happening, but I couldn’t recall what exactly I had forgotten or brushed past at the time.
Rastan let out a shallow sigh and confessed in a low voice.
“…First, I will apologize. I used my power on you.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
With a pained expression, yet answering sincerely, Rastan replied.
“I was afraid that you might discover my ugly true identity. If you were to learn what I am…”
As if even recalling it was painful, his expression twisted slightly more.
“…I thought you would leave me.”
Despite his disjointed words, my heart began pounding, instinctively sensing that something was wrong.
But I needed to hear more clearly.
“What exactly do you mean by using your power on me?”
“I tampered with your memories, at least slightly.”
“What?”
My mouth fell open in shock and disbelief.
Seeing the distrust that had instantly appeared in my eyes, a shadow fell over Rastan’s blue eyes.
“I am truly sorry. Even so, I did not erase your memories entirely. I only slightly blurred your mind, just enough to get past those moments.”
Hearing his words, all the strange things that had happened before came to mind at once.
At the ball held by House Baden, when Gerald, who had been completely drunk, suddenly walked out on his own.
‘They said he locked eyes with Rastan and suddenly walked out perfectly fine.’
And what about how my father had agreed so readily, almost strangely so, to breaking off my engagement with House Lansval and to my engagement to Rastan?
‘When I asked how he persuaded him, Rastan said he spoke sincerely while looking into his eyes.’
Once that line of thought began, it continued endlessly.
‘Then, when the slaves were rescued from the slave auction house?’
Had it not been said that the people inside the auction house suddenly left as if they were being controlled by someone?
‘Rastan was present in every situation where it felt like some unknown power was controlling people.’
Thinking about it that way, it felt foolish that I hadn’t realized it until now.
“Then… have you used that power on Gerald or my father as well?”
It was a question I asked, wondering if it might be true.
“And when rescuing the slaves?”
At last, a low sigh escaped Rastan’s lips.
“…So you noticed. I used it only minimally, to make things proceed more smoothly.”
I pressed a hand to my forehead.
Shock, fear of his existence as a demon, betrayal—those emotions swirled violently inside me, making it hard to steady myself.
It felt as if a whirlwind were violently stirring inside my stomach.
I took a deep breath and opened my mouth, but my ears felt muffled, as if I were submerged underwater.
“I thought we were in a relationship where we trusted each other. But not only did you hide your true identity, you were secretly manipulating my memories as well.”
Holding my dazed head, I spoke without even knowing exactly what I was saying.
“Tell me. Did you erase any of my memories or change them however you pleased?”
Only after saying that did I remember that the one before me was a demon—no, a terrifying being called a Demon God.
‘…Ah.’
In fear, I quickly watched Rastan’s reaction.
But instead of being displeased, his eyes only widened slightly, as if surprised by my words.
“That is not the case. What I said earlier is everything.”
Perhaps the thought that I couldn’t believe him showed on my face. Rastan continued, looking into my eyes.
“I only tried to get past those situations in order to keep you from discovering my true identity. I have never tried to control or use you as I pleased. I swear it.”
His voice as he said those words was deeply earnest.
