Startled, I flinched and tried to pull my hand away, but Rastan held my wrist tightly, not letting me remove it.
Then he grabbed the back of my neck to keep me from moving and slightly parted his lips.
“It’s alright. If it is you, you can do anything to me.”
A faint trace of laughter could be felt in his whiskey-scented breath.
“For now, I like it.”
“But this is… mmph.”
As if he had no intention of listening to any objection, he immediately sealed my mouth with his own lips.
‘Oh my god…!’
Before I knew it, I had ended up kissing him while touching his bare body.
I tried for a moment to pull my wrist free from his grip, but since it didn’t budge at all, I gave up right away.
After a while, when I pulled my lips away from where they had been joined, Rastan followed slightly, as if reluctant to let go.
But when I leaned my upper body back a little, he too straightened his waist again, his face filled with lingering regret.
Only then did a long breath escape.
“Haah… What are you doing in such an open place like this?”
I looked down below the balcony. As expected of the Head of the House’s room, this place had the best view in the manor.
Which meant that right in front of this balcony, a vast garden stretched out endlessly.
Although it was late, it wouldn’t have been strange for one or two servants tending to various matters in the estate to pass by the wide area in front of the main building.
‘Did someone really see us like that?’
Worried, I leaned my head out and looked around, but Rastan remained completely at ease.
“It is alright. No one passed below while we were here.”
Well, he would be far more sensitive and precise than I was when it came to sensing people’s presence.
“But what would it matter if someone did see us? The servants here already think of you as the Lady of the House anyway.”
It meant that no matter what we did, they would simply think their Lord and Lady had a good relationship.
“But if you are still worried, shall we go inside and continue?”
Rastan grinned and gestured with his eyes toward the bed where we had been lying.
“W-what do you mean continue?”
Flustered, I smacked his firm arm. Of course, the one that hurt wasn’t his arm, but my hand.
“Owow…”
“Ah, did it hurt? I am sorry.”
He quickly took my hand with a worried expression.
But the situation of him apologizing for the hardness of his own muscles was so amusing that I let out a small snort.
“What was that?”
Then Rastan smiled softly as well.
“I told you earlier. From the moment I first saw you, I was drawn to you in a way I could not understand myself.”
When I lifted my eyes and met his painfully blue gaze, he spoke again in a low voice, his face turning serious.
“It makes no sense, but I was happy, thinking that such irrational emotions must be something human. It felt like it meant I had become a being quite close to human.”
“Is your goal to become human?”
“In any case, I can never fully become human. So my goal is to someday die having become as similar to a human as possible. A human good enough to deserve going to heaven.”
“It already seems that way.”
The psychological distance I had felt after learning his identity as a demon had already disappeared on the day I fought Ifrit.
To me now, Rastan wasn’t a different species or a transcendent being, but simply my one and only precious person.
“Does the emotion of love make you more human?”
“Demons also have various emotions such as joy, sorrow, and anger, but love alone is not an emotion that belongs in hell. If a demon were to possess such emotion, then perhaps at that moment, they would already no longer be a demon.”
“Huh? Then you too….”
He had said he liked me even before, yet he was still a demon, which I couldn’t understand.
Noticing my doubt, he smiled lightly and added an explanation.
“I was talking about active demons who live in hell. Have I not already washed my hands of it long ago?”
“Pfft, what kind of expression is that?”
Laughing at the unexpected choice of words, I quickly glanced at Rastan’s expression. Then I held his cheeks and, standing on my tiptoes, lightly pressed my lips to his.
It was a completely impulsive action. It was because this self-proclaimed retired demon, who said he had left hell and washed his hands of it, felt lovable.
At my sudden stolen kiss, Rastan froze for a moment, his eyes widened.
“Rastan…?”
At that moment, he wrapped his arms around my waist and the back of my neck and pulled me in, covering my lips as if overtaking them.
It was a kiss far stronger and more intense than the one I had given.
At first, I was startled by the sudden counterattack, but soon I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Hng….”
As my mind turned blank, I began to feel that it no longer mattered even if someone saw us like this.
***
I lay on my side on the bed and quietly gazed at Rastan, who was sleeping peacefully beside me.
Seeing his smooth skin bathed in blue moonlight, his tall nose bridge, and even his neatly sculpted jawline, I was struck anew by the thought that he didn’t seem human.
‘He looks like a porcelain doll or a sculpture.’
His red lips, with their ends slightly curled upward, were exuding a bewitching sensuality even while their owner slept.
‘Well, demons are beings that seduce humans, so maybe it’s only natural for them to have such outstanding appearances.’
Even the other demon I met in Ifrit’s memories, Astaroth, had been beautiful despite his fierce impression.
Quietly observing Rastan’s unreal appearance, I reached my hand over his head.
Perhaps because I had used it to its limit once and its range had greatly expanded, my ability was now far stronger than before.
Now, without needing to fall asleep and directly enter someone else’s dream, I could tell whether his dream state was alright.
‘If it becomes stronger, will I be able to completely see the contents of someone else’s dream while I’m still awake?’
I slowly moved my hand above Rastan’s head. Then, from my hand, a powder-like golden light gently flowed out. This too was an ability I had newly gained recently.
After using this powder-like light a few times, I gave it a name. The so-called, ‘sweet dream powder.’
The powder-like light fell over Rastan’s head and disappeared as if being absorbed into him.
Then, a faint smile, barely visible, spread across his peaceful face. Just what kind of dream was he having to look so happy?
‘I should train quickly so I can see the contents of dreams even in this state.’
Resolving myself with that rather ambitious goal, I sprinkled enough golden powder over him.
Now that I would be by Rastan’s side, he wouldn’t have nightmares anymore.
‘But… I want to completely remove that curse at its root.’
Since some time ago, had I not been feeling that powerful curse, suppressed by my ability, writhing in dissatisfaction and resisting?
If I left it like this, there was no knowing when it might suddenly become a major problem.
The next day, while having breakfast with Rastan, I brought it up.
“The curse embedded in you, I do not want to just keep it suppressed. I want to remove it completely.”
Hope briefly flickered in Rastan’s eyes, but disappeared just as quickly. He quietly shook his head.
“It is a good idea, but… I also tried every possible method for a long time, and it was impossible.”
“I am sure. But that curse exists in your mental world, does it not? So I think it might be possible. I will try.”
“I am satisfied with my current state, Evelin. You do not need to overexert yourself.”
It was the reaction I had expected.
“That is not true.”
I told him my suspicion that while the curse suppressed by my ability had remained quiet for some time, it seemed to have been gathering strength.
And that now, driven into a corner because of me, it might make a final desperate attempt.
“So even if we do nothing, that curse might not remain in its current state. There is a saying that attack is the best defense.”
“Even so. What if that curse ends up harming you?”
He was stubborn when it came to my safety. A shadow suddenly fell over his face, which had been glowing with vitality after a good night’s sleep.
“I do not want to lose you again.”
“I know what you are worried about. But, look.”
I lightly raised one hand.
When I gently turned my hand, golden powder softly flowed out and gently swirled through the air.
“My ability has grown significantly because of this recent incident.”
Rastan stared at the sparkling golden powder with slightly widened eyes, as if entranced, then suddenly came to his senses and opened his mouth.
“…Understood. However, your safety comes first in any situation. Promise me that you will never do anything dangerous.”
To be honest, I intended to go through with it even if it was dangerous, if necessary, but it felt like a scene would break out right here if I said that, so I simply nodded slightly.
“I will do it tonight.”
