Theo spotted a familiar figure approaching rapidly. Her face was filled with fear, as she drew closer.
Upon seeing him, she quickened her pace. Once she reached him, she knelt before him and asked, “How did this happen, Master?”
“Oh, I just had some unexpected guests who wanted to kill me. But how did you find out I was here?” Theo responded with a hint of sarcasm, withholding some details but inquiring about what concerned him.
“I was awakened by the sound of clashes from my sleep. When I looked out the window, I saw Mister Leonard chasing someone. I also noticed you weren't in your room as the door was open, so I followed his trail, worried,” she explained, her voice filled with sorrow.
She stared at Theo, her hands trembling and her face showing deep sadness. Her gaze shifted back and forth between his blood-stained wounds and his face. She clenched her hands so tightly her nails dug into her skin, and she bit her lip.
However, when her gaze met Theo's again, she was met with a soft smile. She didn’t know when but a sharp sword had appeared in his hand and he was offering her the hilt while holding its blade, “Here, Elena…”
Her eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean, Master?”
“Just do it, if you want to,” he responded nonchalantly.
“Ho…how did you know?” She stammered, tears forming in her eyes. She couldn’t believe he easily guessed her intention.
“If you were in right state of mind, then you wouldn’t be waiting there and biting your lips, and looking at me with a hesitating gaze. You would’ve already cast a healing spell on me…” Theo reasoned, referring to how much she had cared for him in the past.
What Elena didn't realize was that his wounds had already healed; they were merely concealed by the stains of blood that still wet his skin and shirt.
“I’m sorry, Master…” The slowly-forming tears began to flow as if a dam had broken; she burst into tears.
‘This bitch…’ Lilith’s chilling voice, the same tone she used when she killed others, sounded in his mind.
Through telepathy, Theo spoke hurriedly, ‘I command you to not harm her.’
‘You!!! Why are you stopping me? Let me kill this bitch…’ Lilith retorted in an enraged tone, as she was halted in her tracks, unable to execute her killing blow.
That command was part of their unique bond that granted him option to make her do something against her will, and he actually used it for someone who wanted to take his life.
Theo was well aware of what had transpired, but he also knew Elena wasn’t entirely at fault and she must have had a reason for her actions. Moreover, she hadn’t moved to harm him and was clearly hesitating.
How could he forget her past kindness and how she had treated him so well when his duplicate self was not even in a condition to take care of himself? She was an angel to him, so he didn’t want to harm her due to a possible misunderstanding.
He moved his hand to pat Elena’s head as she cried relentlessly. Feeling his caress on her head, she cried even harder, sobbing as she spoke, “I’m sorry, Master… I really didn't want to do this. I'm deeply ashamed of what I considered doing… I’m really really sorry, Master, please forgive me…” Elena continued to cry, pleading for his forgiveness.
Theo sighed as she cried like a baby. With a weak hand, he brushed away her tears, feeling as though he could lose consciousness at any moment.
Once Elena's tears subsided and she looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes, Theo asked, "Can you tell me why did you intend to do that?"
Elena nodded and began, "Mister Leonard told me a few days ago that my brother is imprisoned in Ironkeep City by Count Cedric. They threatened that if I don't follow their orders, they'll kill him. I even received a letter and a recent picture of my brother."
Hearing her story, it all fell into place for Theo. It made sense why Elena hesitated and contemplated killing him, yet her genuine, kind nature prevented her from going through with it. However, his trust had been shaken by her actions, making him to probe further.
"If that's the reason, then why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" Theo asked, his eyes seeking the truth. He had faced so many betrayals in his life that he had begun to doubt everything and everyone. He didn’t trust Lilith completely, but so far, she had proven to be more reliable than most, second only to Liliana.
"Because I can't bear the thought of betraying her highness and you. You treated me with such kindness, unlike those arrogant nobles who value their pride over human lives," Elena replied, her voice filled with sadness.
He studied her expression intently, then decided to test her sincerity further. “Can you heal me, Please?” Theo asked, his face scrunching in feigned pain.
“Yes, Master.” She nodded, wiping away her remaining tears with the back of her hand. Raising her hand, she began casting a healing spell on Theo.
Two blue, glowing rings appeared around her wrist. The blue light surrounded Theo’s entire body, mending the bruises that the elixir hadn't reached. It was as though a stream of refreshing water falling over him, washing away the burning anguish in his muscles.
Theo could've drink an elixir, but applying it directly to the wounds was more effective, which was what Lilith had done. Once the light faded and the healing spell finished, Theo felt assured that Elena had no more intention to harm him.
However, what Theo desired was secondary. What mattered most was what the demoness wanted, as she wasn’t going to listen to him.
“Make a servant pact with this bitch, or I'll finish her,” Lilith's commanding voice announced as she appeared beside them, causing a gush of wind.
Theo gazed at the demoness and started rubbing his forehead in exasperation. Elena's eyes widened at the sight of Lilith. Without her veil, Lilith's beauty stunned her momentarily, but she snapped back to reality, recalling the demoness's words.
Lilith's demand wasn’t unreasonable. She no longer trusted Elena. It was the same for Theo but he was more gentle towards her even though she had almost betrayed him. After all, she hadn't harmed him when given the opportunity, and her brother's life was at stake. So, he understood her and didn’t blame her for her previous actions.
‘I have another solution for your concern. For now, we will just keep an eye on her…’ He sent Lilith a telepathy message.
Lilith gritted her teeth, thinking Theo was out of his mind, ‘No… I won’t allow it… Either this bitch dies or you make a servant pact…’
‘Have some faith in me, Demoness. I'm cultivating a plant that can bind her loyalty. If the fruit doesn't work on her, it means she's been lying all along. Can't we wait for seven days? Besides, you don’t know my past yet. She used to take care of me like a mother, and I can’t forget all that Elena has done for me. Since she didn’t harm me and was hesitant, as you saw, I want to give her another chance. And one more thing, don’t curse at her,’
Theo explained via telepathic message while Lilith was staring daggers at Elena, and the innocent girl was looking at the ground with moist eyes and an embarrassed expression.
Lilith appeared frustrated, but she ultimately gave up.
When Theo tried to rise, Elena moved to assist him. However, Lilith pushed her away, shooting her a icy glare. Elena staggered back, almost falling to the ground.
Theo sighed at the demoness's unconcealed hostility but chose not to intervene. It was best for them to sort out their differences themselves.
Upon reaching the village gate, Theo relayed a message to Lilith. ‘There are some men who fell asleep in the jungle. Can you take care of them?’
‘Fine,’ Lilith replied and disappeared, leaving Elena in shock.
Leaning against the towering walls of the Elari civilization for support, Theo turned to Elena. “Please check on the villagers and the guards to ensure they're all right. Leonard said they're just sleeping after eating his feast, but I'd like to confirm it.”
“But Master, is it safe to leave you alone in this state?” Elena asked, concern flickered in her eyes as she took in his battered appearance.
Theo offered her a reassuring smile. “All my wounds have healed, and those who sought to kill me are dead. Don't worry about me.”
Hesitating a bit, she left, glancing back several times. She was embarrassed by her actions but she was glad her Master chose to forgive her.
After both of the ladies left, Theo was gazing towards the moon. Today, he was saved solely because of Lilith and his Demonic farm. If even one of them had been absent, he was certain he wouldn't have made it out alive.
Although Leonard had mentioned it was a surprise set up by Liliana, Theo was convinced she would never betray him like this. It was more likely a bait to lure him outside. Moreover, he had exhausted all his Lunar Slumber Blossoms and Agilitybane Thistle in his desperate bid to evade his pursuers.
As he stood lost in thought, a gust of wind stirred beside him, signaling Lilith's return.
"That bitc..." She paused as he raised his brows.
Lilith coughed and continued, "I mean, that girl. I thought she would be here to take care of you, but she left. If I'd known she would leave you in my absence, I wouldn't have left you alone," She voiced her complaints with a hint of bitterness.
“You should calm your anger, Demoness. Besides, I’m not a kid.” He moved to pat her head, which caused her expression to shift. He continued, “Now I don’t have to hide you from others. You can easily roam in the village and stay outside.”
Hearing that piece of news, a slight brightness appeared on her face, but there was still some displeasure left. She was mad at those people for harming him.
Seeing her fluctuating mood, Theo decided to give her some time, considering the traumatic events had transpired only an hour ago.
A moment later, Elena returned, her face filled with concern. "Master, the villagers and guards are all in deep sleep. I suspect they won't be able to wake up until morning."
Theo nodded, then began to head towards his mansion. As he moved, Lilith gracefully stepped beside him, with Elena following closely. Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moonlight, the trio's silhouettes shimmered in the night.
Breaking the silence, Elena inquired, "Master, who is this young lady?"
She thought her master might have some romantic affairs behind her highness’s back, which caused her to ask this question.
Theo spotted a familiar figure approaching rapidly. Her face was filled with fear, as she drew closer.
Upon seeing him, she quickened her pace. Once she reached him, she knelt before him and asked, “How did this happen, Master?”
“Oh, I just had some unexpected guests who wanted to kill me. But how did you find out I was here?” Theo responded with a hint of sarcasm, withholding some details but inquiring about what concerned him.
“I was awakened by the sound of clashes from my sleep. When I looked out the window, I saw Mister Leonard chasing someone. I also noticed you weren't in your room as the door was open, so I followed his trail, worried,” she explained, her voice filled with sorrow.
She stared at Theo, her hands trembling and her face showing deep sadness. Her gaze shifted back and forth between his blood-stained wounds and his face. She clenched her hands so tightly her nails dug into her skin, and she bit her lip.
However, when her gaze met Theo's again, she was met with a soft smile. She didn’t know when but a sharp sword had appeared in his hand and he was offering her the hilt while holding its blade, “Here, Elena…”
Her eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean, Master?”
“Just do it, if you want to,” he responded nonchalantly.
“Ho…how did you know?” She stammered, tears forming in her eyes. She couldn’t believe he easily guessed her intention.
“If you were in right state of mind, then you wouldn’t be waiting there and biting your lips, and looking at me with a hesitating gaze. You would’ve already cast a healing spell on me…” Theo reasoned, referring to how much she had cared for him in the past.
What Elena didn't realize was that his wounds had already healed; they were merely concealed by the stains of blood that still wet his skin and shirt.
“I’m sorry, Master…” The slowly-forming tears began to flow as if a dam had broken; she burst into tears.
‘This bitch…’ Lilith’s chilling voice, the same tone she used when she killed others, sounded in his mind.
Through telepathy, Theo spoke hurriedly, ‘I command you to not harm her.’
‘You!!! Why are you stopping me? Let me kill this bitch…’ Lilith retorted in an enraged tone, as she was halted in her tracks, unable to execute her killing blow.
That command was part of their unique bond that granted him option to make her do something against her will, and he actually used it for someone who wanted to take his life.
Theo was well aware of what had transpired, but he also knew Elena wasn’t entirely at fault and she must have had a reason for her actions. Moreover, she hadn’t moved to harm him and was clearly hesitating.
How could he forget her past kindness and how she had treated him so well when his duplicate self was not even in a condition to take care of himself? She was an angel to him, so he didn’t want to harm her due to a possible misunderstanding.
He moved his hand to pat Elena’s head as she cried relentlessly. Feeling his caress on her head, she cried even harder, sobbing as she spoke, “I’m sorry, Master… I really didn't want to do this. I'm deeply ashamed of what I considered doing… I’m really really sorry, Master, please forgive me…” Elena continued to cry, pleading for his forgiveness.
Theo sighed as she cried like a baby. With a weak hand, he brushed away her tears, feeling as though he could lose consciousness at any moment.
Once Elena's tears subsided and she looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes, Theo asked, "Can you tell me why did you intend to do that?"
Elena nodded and began, "Mister Leonard told me a few days ago that my brother is imprisoned in Ironkeep City by Count Cedric. They threatened that if I don't follow their orders, they'll kill him. I even received a letter and a recent picture of my brother."
Hearing her story, it all fell into place for Theo. It made sense why Elena hesitated and contemplated killing him, yet her genuine, kind nature prevented her from going through with it. However, his trust had been shaken by her actions, making him to probe further.
"If that's the reason, then why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" Theo asked, his eyes seeking the truth. He had faced so many betrayals in his life that he had begun to doubt everything and everyone. He didn’t trust Lilith completely, but so far, she had proven to be more reliable than most, second only to Liliana.
"Because I can't bear the thought of betraying her highness and you. You treated me with such kindness, unlike those arrogant nobles who value their pride over human lives," Elena replied, her voice filled with sadness.
He studied her expression intently, then decided to test her sincerity further. “Can you heal me, Please?” Theo asked, his face scrunching in feigned pain.
“Yes, Master.” She nodded, wiping away her remaining tears with the back of her hand. Raising her hand, she began casting a healing spell on Theo.
Two blue, glowing rings appeared around her wrist. The blue light surrounded Theo’s entire body, mending the bruises that the elixir hadn't reached. It was as though a stream of refreshing water falling over him, washing away the burning anguish in his muscles.
Theo could've drink an elixir, but applying it directly to the wounds was more effective, which was what Lilith had done. Once the light faded and the healing spell finished, Theo felt assured that Elena had no more intention to harm him.
However, what Theo desired was secondary. What mattered most was what the demoness wanted, as she wasn’t going to listen to him.
“Make a servant pact with this bitch, or I'll finish her,” Lilith's commanding voice announced as she appeared beside them, causing a gush of wind.
Theo gazed at the demoness and started rubbing his forehead in exasperation. Elena's eyes widened at the sight of Lilith. Without her veil, Lilith's beauty stunned her momentarily, but she snapped back to reality, recalling the demoness's words.
Lilith's demand wasn’t unreasonable. She no longer trusted Elena. It was the same for Theo but he was more gentle towards her even though she had almost betrayed him. After all, she hadn't harmed him when given the opportunity, and her brother's life was at stake. So, he understood her and didn’t blame her for her previous actions.
‘I have another solution for your concern. For now, we will just keep an eye on her…’ He sent Lilith a telepathy message.
Lilith gritted her teeth, thinking Theo was out of his mind, ‘No… I won’t allow it… Either this bitch dies or you make a servant pact…’
‘Have some faith in me, Demoness. I'm cultivating a plant that can bind her loyalty. If the fruit doesn't work on her, it means she's been lying all along. Can't we wait for seven days? Besides, you don’t know my past yet. She used to take care of me like a mother, and I can’t forget all that Elena has done for me. Since she didn’t harm me and was hesitant, as you saw, I want to give her another chance. And one more thing, don’t curse at her,’
Theo explained via telepathic message while Lilith was staring daggers at Elena, and the innocent girl was looking at the ground with moist eyes and an embarrassed expression.
Lilith appeared frustrated, but she ultimately gave up.
When Theo tried to rise, Elena moved to assist him. However, Lilith pushed her away, shooting her a icy glare. Elena staggered back, almost falling to the ground.
Theo sighed at the demoness's unconcealed hostility but chose not to intervene. It was best for them to sort out their differences themselves.
Upon reaching the village gate, Theo relayed a message to Lilith. ‘There are some men who fell asleep in the jungle. Can you take care of them?’
‘Fine,’ Lilith replied and disappeared, leaving Elena in shock.
Leaning against the towering walls of the Elari civilization for support, Theo turned to Elena. “Please check on the villagers and the guards to ensure they're all right. Leonard said they're just sleeping after eating his feast, but I'd like to confirm it.”
“But Master, is it safe to leave you alone in this state?” Elena asked, concern flickered in her eyes as she took in his battered appearance.
Theo offered her a reassuring smile. “All my wounds have healed, and those who sought to kill me are dead. Don't worry about me.”
Hesitating a bit, she left, glancing back several times. She was embarrassed by her actions but she was glad her Master chose to forgive her.
After both of the ladies left, Theo was gazing towards the moon. Today, he was saved solely because of Lilith and his Demonic farm. If even one of them had been absent, he was certain he wouldn't have made it out alive.
Although Leonard had mentioned it was a surprise set up by Liliana, Theo was convinced she would never betray him like this. It was more likely a bait to lure him outside. Moreover, he had exhausted all his Lunar Slumber Blossoms and Agilitybane Thistle in his desperate bid to evade his pursuers.
As he stood lost in thought, a gust of wind stirred beside him, signaling Lilith's return.
"That bitc..." She paused as he raised his brows.
Lilith coughed and continued, "I mean, that girl. I thought she would be here to take care of you, but she left. If I'd known she would leave you in my absence, I wouldn't have left you alone," She voiced her complaints with a hint of bitterness.
“You should calm your anger, Demoness. Besides, I’m not a kid.” He moved to pat her head, which caused her expression to shift. He continued, “Now I don’t have to hide you from others. You can easily roam in the village and stay outside.”
Hearing that piece of news, a slight brightness appeared on her face, but there was still some displeasure left. She was mad at those people for harming him.
Seeing her fluctuating mood, Theo decided to give her some time, considering the traumatic events had transpired only an hour ago.
A moment later, Elena returned, her face filled with concern. "Master, the villagers and guards are all in deep sleep. I suspect they won't be able to wake up until morning."
Theo nodded, then began to head towards his mansion. As he moved, Lilith gracefully stepped beside him, with Elena following closely. Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moonlight, the trio's silhouettes shimmered in the night.
Breaking the silence, Elena inquired, "Master, who is this young lady?"
She thought her master might have some romantic affairs behind her highness’s back, which caused her to ask this question.
