CH 16.2

Shortly thereafter, a magnificent corridor with an endless number of columns appeared. The Demon King’s nest that was right at the end had still been tightly closed and there was a thick mass of thundercloud outside the castle—possibly due to the aftermath of the rampage itself.

“What’s going on here?”

“Mister Barbatos.”

“The Master did not seek for you. Go back.”

There was a stiff tension in his voice that was speaking to Julia. It appeared like he was the one who got deployed for today’s defense.

Julia then slowly stepped into the corridor despite his dissuasion. A slight look of bewilderment had immediately crossed Barbatos’s face. That sudden look of himself, who had always been submissive, was rather surprising to see.

‘Mister Barbatos is completely different from Mister Kimaris. If I were to tell him the truth, he would never let me in. Since he hates me……’

And once more, Barbatos had stopped her from putting her hand on the particular door.

“If you disturb the Master’s rest, I will have no other choice but to use physical force on you.”

“Please let me go—it hurts.”

“You should be the one to let go.”

“No, you have to step back instead.”

Kimaris straight away snatched Barbatos’s wrist, which was still holding on to Julia. The light in Barbatos’s eyes after he had stopped at the words: ‘it hurts’, was instantly mixed with such murderous energy.

“What is this, Kimaris?”

“Let her go.”

“You dare to challenge me?”

Sparks started flashing as they gazed against one another. Then, a gust of wind suddenly swept through the corridor, which had been silent before, as if one was using a force of magical power. However, Julia, who was not really affected by this, took advantage of her hand being free as she immediately moved her body. The two of them eventually looked towards each other, but it was already too late.

“Uugh!”

The heavy, gigantic door was barely opened up till she had finally pushed it with all her might. The gap was small, but since Julia’s body was even smaller than that, she could eventually push her body inside.

The King’s nest was still in a state of mess. She knew that it could be restored with magic, but she still felt rather amazed and afraid of the ability that was able to turn such a huge room into a swamp in just one day.

As she gasped for breath, a low, cracked voice had pierced her eardrums.

“……what.”

Did he just awaken from his slumber or was he feeling offended by the presence of a sudden intruder? With only one word, she could clearly ascertain that Bael’s mood was just bottoming out.

Julia moved as carefully as possible so as not to irritate him before kneeling at the feet of the sofa where the King was currently leaning against. She could then distinctly feel the blood-red eyes that were trailing along with her own movements.

A sneer was heard mixed in his voice as it rolled over the top of her head.

“Do you want to die?”

“……”

“Magic resistance—if you try to use that trick, it’s still going to be over with just one strangulation.”

Bael then squeezed against his forehead slowly. His expression completely appeared like someone who was really contemplating whether or not to do it at all. Julia had already faced numerous kinds of hostility throughout her whole life. So, she couldn’t help but to know that his murmurs were rather sincere.

Her throat was immediately inflamed. Her heart eventually felt like it was going to burst in fear.

Just outside the slightly opened door, the sound of a fight could be heard between Barbatos, who was about to enter, and Kimaris, who had been blocking him all the way. There was no one else that could help Julia. In other words, the conversation with Bael had to be done all alone.

Julia then lowered her head down to the floor and carefully opened her mouth.

“Don’t you need a key?”

“You’ve already made a contract with me. The evidence is clearly what has been engraved over your heart. If you go against my will, I can just break the spell and burst your heart in a split second.”

“I still have a way to escape from the Demon King.”

A low snort could be heard above her head. Nevertheless, Julia still continued talking without paying much attention to it.

“The method is quite simple. If I were to die first before the King destroyed the spell…”

While she was bedridden, the demons had told many stories about their own Master, Bael.

He was so strong that no one in the Demon Realm could even dare to go against him. That was why he had become lazy. No one had ever seen him genuinely unleashed his magnificent powers. And that particular power was growing stronger day by day.

Most important of all, Bael simply didn’t like to have anyone upset him at all. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had been born too strong and lived as an absolute existence for a long time already, he just could not stand being protested against his will.

And thus, Julia aimed at it.

“There are many demons who hate me within this Demon King’s castle. Did you know that? A lot of demons as well as beasts had come every night to kill me.”

“Therefore.”

Contrary to the tone that indicated it had nothing to do with him, Bael’s eyes, which were raised along halfway of his upper body, sank eerily low. The emotion that had been immersed in him was obviously anger.

“If I just get out of this room right now and return to my bedroom, I could then die. And free myself from your hands…”

Julia couldn’t finish her words. It was because Bael had lifted up her chin. Her jaw was instantly tightened by that strong grip, but Julia still did not avoid his gaze at all.

Even though her eyes were trembling in fear, facing him till the end was the only last pride she could protect.

And just then, Julia’s heart suddenly became hot as if it was on fire. It felt painful at first and she immediately thought that Bael was trying to kill her, but something was quite different. There was also a slight confusion painted across his face. It was proof that he had also felt the same strange sensation.

In the end, Julia could not overcome the dizziness and eventually shifted her gaze.

“What did you do?”

“……”

“Say it.”

“I don’t know.”

The engraving on her chest burned like it was on fire. The longer she had contact with him, the stranger the sensations began to flutter down to her spine. Her breathing was brief and her stomach kept throbbing deep inside. Bael also wrinkled his brows while not knowing the reason why.

Still, Julia continued speaking without missing an opportunity at all.

“You can do anything. All I want is something that only the Demon King can do. Please gather the demons—as many as possible. And in that tower with me as the key…”

“Shit!”

He ran out of patience with all the alien sensations surrounding his body before he eventually threw Julia aside.

Barbatos, who had entered the bedroom just in time, took a hold of her as she collapsed helplessly. Behind him was Kimaris, who had been only a step behind while standing with such dismayed eyes.