Shekina felt a chill run down her spine.
‘It’s just like before.’
It was the same feeling she had when she first possessed this place and when she first met Dehan. The expression Dehan showed her back then…
Even though it happened nearly a hundred years ago, she could never forget that expression.
It was the first time Dehan showed her love, and the first time she showed him love. How could she ever forget that?
‘This is driving me crazy.’
That’s why she was on the verge of losing her mind.
Dehan and she were following different scenarios.
Dehan was part of a scenario created by Lucifer to exterminate the demons and destroy the world, while Shekina was part of the scenario to stop Dehan and defeat Lucifer.
That’s how Shekina was able to shed the title of ‘Hero’s Lover.’
But what if Dehan starts to like her again?
Then the scenarios would overlap, and she would become the ‘Hero’s Lover’ again, leading to her death.
Shekina let out a hollow laugh.
‘Life really is messed up.’
She thought it wouldn’t matter if she died, but that was only when she chose death on her own terms. She refused to die according to some scenario, like she had for the past 90 years. Never again.
“I have nothing to say to you.”
Shekina got up from the bed and stood on the floor, responding coldly on purpose.
“I’m busy. So if you could leave, that would be great.”
But Dehan didn’t budge. He smiled and began to speak.
“Do you know what I thought after being threatened that I would be killed if I revealed that you all are demons?”
It was obvious that Arthur had threatened him. It couldn’t be anyone else.
Shekina avoided Dehan’s gaze.
“Wh-What did you think?”
“I thought that humans and demons are indistinguishable.”
He finally spoke the words he had been holding in his heart.
“The ones I thought were humans turned out to be demons, and the ones I thought were demons turned out to be humans.”
He had believed that the ones who attacked his village were demons, not just because the temple said so.
He just wanted to believe it. He wanted to believe that no human could do such things. That these actions were beyond what humans could do. So he convinced himself it was all because of demons…
But now, the escapism was over. Just as there are humans who aren’t really human, there are also demons who aren’t really demonic. He felt more at peace.
“That’s why I’m even more curious.”
He took a step closer to Shekina.
“What I will learn while being with you all.”
“…………”
Ah, this feels strange.
Shekina unconsciously took a step back, but she was blocked by a nightstand behind her.
Standing just a span away from her, Dehan lifted his eyes.
His face overlapped with past memories.
The moment she first loved Dehan, the moment she died because of him, the moment he saved her, and thus the moment she died… All those memories.
“I want to stay by your side, Lady Shekina.”
“………”
“Please, allow me to.”
***
“Hmmm.”
Arthur, who had been standing outside the door listening to the voices inside the room, let out a nasal sound and crossed his arms.
“What an interesting guy.”
A squire of the temple, speaking so confidently despite knowing they were demons.
‘I thought he’d run straight to Yuriel and spill everything.’
After overhearing Shekina and Lucart’s conversation, Arthur had been keeping an eye on Dehan. Just in case he told Yuriel the truth. He was ready to kill him if necessary.
But…
‘He’s smarter than I thought.’
Instead of confessing to Yuriel, he chose to think for himself, sharing his thoughts with Shekina and asking to be her subordinate.
He must understand how crucial Shekina’s role and weight are in this group.
‘If Shekina asks, we’ll have no choice but to accept him.’
There’s no one among us who can go against Shekina.
Arthur thought Dehan was cunning and insufferable.
“What’s the best course of action?”
But despite those thoughts, there was a hint of pleasure in his voice.
It was the thrill of the unfolding events and the changing circumstances that excited him.
“Well, it’s not a decision I can make alone.”
Muttering to himself, Arthur snapped his fingers. Immediately, the surroundings changed.
Feeling the wind whip around him, he raised his head and looked at Lucart nearby.
“Even here, you’re still hunting monsters?”
“……….”
Lucart did not respond but placed his greatsword on the ground with a thud. Arthur approached him with a smile.
“If you’ve come, why don’t you join us? We agreed to move together from the capital.”
As he said, the group had agreed to travel with Lucart from the capital. However, Lucart only appeared occasionally in front of Shekina and did not join the group.
At first, Arthur thought Lucart disliked humans and wanted to stay away from the capital, but over time, he realized that wasn’t the case.
Arthur’s lips curved into a grin.
“Or is there a reason you don’t want to?”
Lucart slightly turned his head. After briefly clicking his tongue, he walked past Arthur.
“Let’s go back.”
“Yes, as you command.”
Arthur followed Lucart back to the lodging. Thanks to his magic, the demonic energy that lingered could be easily concealed. After assessing the situation, Arthur approached Lucart again.
“You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”
Lucart did not respond, but Arthur didn’t mind.
“Could it be that you’ve noticed what I’m hiding?”
Arthur continued with a smile.
“Yes, well. The temple squire, Dehan, discovered our identity. Ah! It wasn’t my fault. That guy eavesdropped on a conversation between the Demon King and Shekina.”
Lucart’s purple eyes fixed on Arthur with a terrifyingly fierce light, making Arthur’s knees tremble.
Arthur swallowed dryly but maintained his composure.
“So, I’m thinking of bringing that guy over to our side. We’ll have Shekina watch him.”
“No.”
Lucart’s firm response made Arthur narrow his eyes.
“What’s not allowed? Bringing that guy over? Or leaving it to Shekina?”
“……….”
After a moment of silence, Lucart sighed and spoke.
“I don’t trust that homunculus.”
Then he unleashed the words he had been holding back.
“You say it was created only three years ago? No, no… That can’t be. It must be hiding something.”
Muttering to himself, he ground his teeth.
– It’s not okay for the boss’s subordinate to hide something from the boss.
No.
That’s definitely a lie.
The child is hiding many things. Maybe even more than I can imagine.
Lucart’s mind raced.
If keeping it alive would harm us?
Wouldn’t it be reasonable to kill it now?
If we eliminate that homunculus now…
“Sure, Shekina is hiding something.”
Arthur’s calm response interrupted Lucart’s thoughts.
“But, so what?”
Arthur tilted his head.
“Is it important to us? Will it harm us? I don’t think so. Shekina has always acted for our benefit.”
“………..”
Lucart frowned deeply.
“Everything could be a lie.”
“Then we have no choice.”
Arthur shrugged.
“Well, if Shekina plans to betray us…”
“………..”
“We just have to accept it. After all, I trusted her, and I can’t casually demand a return on that trust. I believe it’s worth it.”
“Vice Commander.”
Lucart’s eyes twisted fiercely.
He couldn’t understand Arthur’s thoughts. Sometimes, Arthur acted more demonic than any demon, while other times he made incomprehensible decisions as a demon, like when he chose his beloved in the past.
Lucart couldn’t agree with Arthur’s words.
Trust is about whether you can entrust your back to someone or not.
He couldn’t entrust his back to Shekina now. Therefore, he did not trust Shekina.
So the choice was clear.
“That homunculus immediately…”
Must be killed.
Just as Lucart opened his mouth with that thought.
“No way!”
The sudden shout came from the twins, Merdes, who had appeared out of nowhere.
“Shekina doesn’t lie!”
“Shekina takes great care of us!”
“Thanks to her, we’re living well!”
The twins, sweating profusely, shouted from a distance.
“Shekina won’t betray us! She trusts us as much as we trust her!”
“If Shekina dies, I’ll die too!”
Lucart’s face filled with bewilderment.
The twins’ words were akin to the oaths humans make to protect each other.
Even though they were half-demon, what?
