Chapter 10

For someone unaware of the situation, it could easily look like one-sided bullying. That thought alone made Melody’s head throb.

Well, how could someone accompanied by a priest possibly look like a villain? Anyone who has seen divine power heal wounds and slay monsters would never doubt the existence of a god.

Just like how those who’ve seen magic can easily imagine the destruction its ominous power can bring.

Within the vast castle, Deonis was utterly alone.

Just then, a large figure appeared beyond the window. Melody, without realizing it, immediately ran out to the garden.

“Your Grace.”

“Your neck… seems intact.”

In the desolate garden, long neglected, Deonis stood alone. The moonlight cast upon his face made him look utterly exhausted. The priest had disappeared, but he was still clearly battling pain.

“I brought this for you.”

Melody reached out and placed a magical artifact—one that looked like a lump of flour dough—on a dried, twisted branch.

“Try touching it. It might make you feel a little better. It should ease the pain a bit, too.”

It was a magical item made from slime, soft and warm to the touch. As she watched the artifact compress in his grip and return to its original shape, Melody waited for his response. His expression remained blank as ever.

“Still filthy.”

“You have to take off your gloves to really feel it.”

“Is it even worth feeling?”

Though his words were sharp, Deonis removed his black gloves and squeezed the artifact.

“Don’t squeeze it too hard or—”

Before she could finish her sentence, a squelch was heard, and green liquid burst out in all directions. His clothes and hands were covered in slime fragments.

Melody, startled, grabbed his hand. Blood had clearly spread—probably from the shattered magic core.

“You’re bleeding…”

In that moment, Deonis yanked his hand away roughly.

“Hands off.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I grabbed you without thinking…”

When Melody looked up, startled, she saw something in his eyes—less irritation, more like fear.

But her gaze quickly moved to the droplets of blood falling to the ground.

“You need treatment.”

“I don’t need it.”

He took a step back and tried to put his glove back on over the wounded hand. The sight was ridiculous, so she reached out again.

“Don’t wear the glove. The wound will fester.”

When she gently pinched the edge of his glove, Deonis gave a dry, scoffing laugh.

“Do you think I can feel the pain of a mere wound?”

“Having a big wound doesn’t mean small ones don’t hurt.”

“Stop wasting time pretending to care. Go back to your work.”

More cutting words.

Until now, it felt like he was deliberately keeping a wall between them, but this time, his words felt sincere. So much that Melody felt tears prick her eyes.

“It’s not pretense. I’m just worried.”

“Worried?”

His brow furrowed deeply.

“Why? Do you pity the beasts who can’t even breathe inside a barrier?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then do you even know what that magician you helped did before he got caught by me? He hurt someone. While wearing that device you gave him. He got drunk, used magic, and blinded his own younger brother.”

“…!!”

“Even so, he didn’t report it to the temple because they were family. That’s why the knights arrested him. And that’s why you ended up here.”

“How did you…”

“Pitying a beast, are you? Then you should’ve known what that beast might do. Still playing the saint after everything? Haven’t you come to your senses yet?”

“What do you mean, ‘this’?”

“Working for another beast’s brat.”

Deonis gave a twisted smile. The oppressive atmosphere made her tremble. Melody wanted to flee—but she steeled herself.

“I like the workshop. I’ve always wanted to make whatever I wanted without worrying about money. And…”

She looked down at the dried leaves, where blood had pooled. The red and black color, so lifeless, reminded her of him.

“That man probably just wanted to live a normal life. With his family. Somewhere safe from monsters. If he hadn’t been born that way, he wouldn’t have hurt anyone.”

“Is that kind of dream even possible for a beast?”

“Why not? Even a beast’s child can dream. At least get treated by Sir Rohan. Wounds caused by magic cores last a long time. It’ll sting every time it touches water.”

With a heavy feeling pressing on her chest, Melody turned sharply. She knew this wasn’t the way to the workshop, but she didn’t want to stay near Deonis a moment longer.

In the uncomfortable silence, Deonis’s voice followed.

“That way leads to the training grounds.”

“I don’t care.”

“Servants aren’t allowed there.”

“Ugh. Why can’t I even walk wherever I want…”

Melody turned and glared at him, as if the twisted castle paths were his fault.

“Was your father a magician?”

“Yes.”

One of his eyebrows rose—surprised at how quickly she answered.

“Even if you’re curious, don’t talk to me. I want to be alone right now.”

“Too bad. There’s only one path here.”

As she ignored him and walked past, footsteps followed. Thinking he’d overtake her, Melody slowed down.

But Deonis never passed her. Only when she reached the entrance did she stop and turn around.

He had an unreadable expression. His red eyes flickered under the light.

“I didn’t say anything.”

Claiming credit for keeping quiet, he made her scoff. Then, a sudden realization struck—the first person to ever touch Deonis had been Rihellin.

The warmth of a woman’s touch lingered stubbornly. Just a moment. And yet Deonis couldn’t understand why such fleeting warmth shook him so much.

“Rihellin.”

Her name fell from his lips. He licked the back of his hand, as if to taste the warmth still clinging to him.

Had they touched? It was brief—no more than a mosquito bite.

“Who else would I talk to? I’m alone right now.”

She erased the book’s passage from her mind and climbed the stairs to the workshop. In the darkness where she disappeared, the red tongue still didn’t know what it was tasting.

* * *

The knights had left to subjugate monsters. Melody’s routine of going back and forth between the workshop and the house remained unchanged.

“I can’t… I can’t do this anymore.”

She let go mid-struggle with a giant monster bone. The magical device had become bigger than expected since she wanted its range to cover the whole mansion. Limiting it to the office side seemed strange—why would only the right side of the building be painless?

She just wanted to give Deonis a place he could call home. Even if he became a villain leading a rebellion in the future—at least for now.

Bit by bit. Just a little bit bigger—until the device was now the size of a bed.

“If I make it just a little bigger, it could even reach the training ground.”

“At this rate, it’ll be bigger than the room.”

She wasn’t good at making aesthetically pleasing shapes, so she tried to keep it square. One looked like a coffin. Two joined together looked like a wardrobe.