Thank you Not a Cofee Lover for the coffee.
━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
“Alright, but there’s one more condition.”
I raised an eyebrow at Eleanor’s words.
“Now again, what is it?”
“Call me ‘Master.’ Now that we have formally entered into a teacher-student relationship,”
“…….”
“Call me Master, or I will not begin teaching.”
Eleanor said with a relaxed yet mischievous smile.
‘…As if I’m in a position to negotiate,’
But whatever the case, I was in a frustrating position.
“…Please start the training, Master.”
I said it with a slight sigh. Eleanor seemed quite satisfied with this response.
“Very well, my disciple.”
Eleanor reached out her hand towards me.
In the next moment, my field of vision abruptly compressed to a single point, and an influx of countless things began to pour into my mind.
I felt as if my brain was reaching its saturation point, and I promptly lost consciousness.
~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~
Clyde locked himself inside the mansion, waiting for Ruby to return.
Thanks to Ruby’s preparations, which included enough supplies for a week, his daily life had no inconvenience. No, even if that wasn’t the case, there was actually no inconvenience at all. Now that all his senses have fully returned. But Ruby might still believe that he couldn’t see, but he was well aware of everything.
There was still something quite uncomfortable about being in a woman’s body, but it wasn’t unbearable.
「 It’ll be fine. You won’t get caught. I promise to keep you safe… So just trust me.」
He recalled Ruby’s words, filling his heart with warmth.
After awakening and becoming a complete monster, Clyde could only feel these emotions when he was with Ruby.
Only by her side could he sense that there were still human aspects within him.
However, he had no desire to remain human now. It was merely remnants of what his mother had left him. Just a hint of attachment.
But to be with Ruby, he needed to be human.
Or at least, he had to pretend to be one.
Waiting for Ruby felt like an eternity. As he waited for Ruby, each day felt like a year.
Clyde imagined himself as a stone, feeling nothing, thinking nothing. He imagined himself as a stone that couldn’t suffer, yearn, or pine for Ruby.
But even when he tries to deaden his emotions, there comes a time when he reaches his limits.
When that happens, he pulls out the gloves and shawl that Ruby had given him and wraps them in his arms. He imagined he was holding her.
He imagined holding her, her soft body in his arms. He imagined the warmth of her breath, the sound of her gentle exhales, and her adorable round eyes that would look up at him. He imagined her slightly blushing cheeks and small, tempting lips, and the desire to kiss them…
Thinking about Ruby was like both heaven and hell. The more he recalled those vivid sensations and emotions, the more he felt the harsh reality that she wasn’t by his side.
Days went by slowly. Just four days from now. Only three days left. Two more days. Finally one day. Finally….
After five long days, it was time to meet Ruby. A rush of excitement ran through his body at the thought of meeting her.
But Ruby didn’t come.
There must be some unavoidable circumstances, he thought. She had mentioned that another older brother of hers had come. It was probably due to that. She would surely come at night, just like before.
However, Clyde stayed awake throughout the night, waiting for Ruby, until dawn broke, but she didn’t appear.
Maybe she couldn’t take a day off on the promised date. She had already cancelled one day of her vacation due to the Crown Prince, and it was probably the same reason this time.
Thinking this way, deep anger surged within him.
Clyde felt the same intense emotions when he saw Ruby dancing with the Crown Prince at the Masquerade Ball. It was a dark, repulsive, and fierce urge, one that made him want to snap the prince’s neck in an instant.
But in the end, he managed to restrain himself that day. Holding back his impulses was crucial, as it allowed him to be with Ruby now. Furthermore, he had made a promise that he wouldn’t kill anyone. It was a promise he had to uphold.
That promise had to be kept, no matter what happened. Ruby said she would be with him for the rest of her life. She had even said she would not marry another man. She had gone as far as promising to run away together if he was discovered…
This promise was so unconventional that it almost seemed unbelievable. In exchange for not committing murder, he had secured a lifetime with Ruby.
If Ruby had demanded something else, he would have unquestionably accepted it. Even if it had been something like annihilating all the demons, he would have done it.
He waited for a day, convincing himself that Ruby might be a bit late. Clyde hoped that Ruby would arrive soon, but as the days passed, she did not appear.
He tried to control his growing anxiety and worry.
He convinced himself that Ruby might be busy with an investigation. She had already mentioned that her vacation might be disrupted due to her work. But even with these thoughts, Clyde’s anger and impatience were growing. Day after day passed, and Ruby didn’t come. Clyde’s unease and frustration intensified.
He remembered how Ruby had told him that the Peridot necklace’s transformation spell would last for ten days. She was determined to avoid revealing her true identity at all costs. If she didn’t return within ten days, something serious might have happened.
On the tenth day, as the sun began to set, Ruby still hadn’t appeared.
He was almost certain that something had gone wrong. Clyde couldn’t wait any longer.
Clyde left the manor wrapped in a cloak that covered his body as Ruby often did.
He put on a deep hooded cloak to conceal himself, knowing that the spell would likely wear off soon. It was time to take action.
As he walked through the streets, he felt someone following him.
Ruby had mentioned that her brothers sometimes kept an eye on her.
Clyde had noticed Nita Rojasis tailing them during their outing on the day of his birthday party.
But he kept it to himself, not wanting to spoil Ruby’s joy. Now, he was acutely aware that he was being followed. It was time to deal with the situation.
Furthermore, since Nita is Ruby’s brother, there was no way he could use his hands against him.
In fact, it is still the same now. With the promise he made to Ruby, he couldn’t “deal with” him like the guy who used to monitor him back in Trachen.
So Clyde deliberately slipped into a crowded alleyway and outran the watchman.
Hiding on a rooftop and looking down, he noticed the man who had been following him seemed confused and started heading back in the direction he had come from.
Perhaps he intended to go to the mansion and wait for his return.
However, considering that the transformation spell would soon wear off, Clyde couldn’t afford to go back there.
Of course, there was still a possibility that Ruby might come tonight. However, that too would naturally become apparent once he discovered Ruby’s whereabouts.
Clyde set off to the Decoswan Canyon.
Thanks to enhancing his body with magic, Clyde could run faster than a horse and didn’t tire at all. Since it was late at night and there were no torches, there was almost no risk of being seen by anyone.
Clyde easily found the campsite of the investigation team without much wandering. He could make an educated guess about the approximate location based on what Ruby had told him, and there was no other place in the entire gorge with lights visible.
Perhaps due to the late hour, aside from the soldiers on guard duty, there were hardly any people in the campsite.
While Clyde was sneaking into the camp, he noticed a young man coming out of one of the tents, rubbing his eyes. He seemed to have woken up to attend to some business.
Clyde waited until the man walked towards the outskirts of the camp and took a position in front of some bushes. When the man stopped to settle in, Clyde swiftly overpowered him.
“If you make a sound, your life is forfeited.”
Clyde covered the man’s mouth and the trembling figure nodded vigorously.
“If you answer my questions honestly, I’ll let you go unharmed. Of course, you must not tell anyone about what happened. Do you understand?”
The man nodded with a stiff movement.
“Good.”
Clyde released his hand from the man’s mouth.
“Where is Eila Rojasis right now?”
“Uh, well, she… she’s…,” the man stammered, clearly panicking. After a moment of hesitation, he added, “She disappeared.”
“Disappeared? What does that mean?”
“While she was investigating artifacts at an archaeological site, an incident occurred, and she literally disappeared from the spot. His Highness the Crown Prince was with her.”
Upon hearing this, Clyde involuntarily tightened his grip on the man’s arm, causing the man’s body to tense as if it might crumple.
“Cough…! I-I’m telling the truth! It’s not a lie!”
The man grabbed Clyde’s arm and desperately protested. Clyde clenched his teeth audibly.
“Explain it properly so I can understand. When, how, and why? Tell me exactly what happened.”
𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊
