CH 126

Even late at night, Zagnac did not show his face once. As she looked out the open window, Azela sat down on the bed with a sigh. Even though it was midnight, she couldn’t sleep as Lane’s words were playing in her head over and over again.

“If he doesn’t eat my soul…”

Come to think of it, her life meant more than when she was Countess Todd… because of Zagnac.

‘Thanks to Zagnac, my life started to have meaning, and that’s why he has to take my soul.’

It was funny.

Suddenly, in her mind, the things he had done for her so far came to mind. As she pulled herself up and put on her cardigan, she soon slipped out of the bedroom. The hallway, where the lights were off and only candles were lit, was silent.

‘If I die now…’

Azela lowered her head and thought as she made her way to the bedroom where Zagnac was. She was trying to remember what she had to do though there was nothing in mind.

Her divorce from Daniel was successfully finalized, and her business was stable. Despite the fact that her life had not been that short, she had nothing to do. She didn’t even have someone to go to and leave her last words to say goodbye.

Feeling the loneliness, Azela lowered her head and laughed. It occurred to her that her life was so futile… and it was Zagnac that gave her meaning to live such a futile life.

“…Zagnac.”

So, she couldn’t help but love him.

As she eventually stopped her steps in front of Zagnac’s bedroom door and quietly called his name, she could feel his presence through the closed door. It was clear that he, too, was having trouble sleeping like her.

Azela carefully raised her hand and knocked on the closed bedroom door. It was still as though he was hiding him in the air. He was desperately erasing his presence.

“It’s me.”

After she finished speaking, footsteps pacing left and right could be heard beyond the door. His steps, contemplating whether to open the door or not, did not stop. However, he stopped and held his breath, probably deciding not to open the door.

“I know you’re not sleeping, open it.”

Despite her determined voice, no sound could be heard from beyond the door. He seemed to be insisting that he was asleep.

“You know it’s not a problem you can avoid forever, right?”

Afterwards, a loud sigh was heard from beyond the door from Zagnac, who wanted to avoid this situation. When he finally grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, he showed strong signs of not wanting to face her though Azela showed no signs of backing down.

“You didn’t come to me, so I came to you.”

“….”

“I can’t go through the window.”

She smiled bitterly.

Zagnac frowned as he stood with his arm to prevent Azela from entering her. When she slipped her hand into his arm that was blocking her, his arm visibly twitched.

“Let’s go in and talk.”

“…I will sleep now.”

“It doesn’t look like you can sleep?”

“I am tired today.”

Even as he said that, Zagnac did not shake off her hand, which was resting on his arm. ‘Let’s not talk about that,’ was shown strongly through his every action and tone.

Azela slowly moved her hand, which she had placed on his arm. She passed his arm and shoulder before quietly placing her hand on his chest. In the meanwhile, he didn’t utter a single thing while she did that.

“It’s okay, let’s go in.”

She spoke briefly and pushed him with force on the hand resting on his chest. With just a little bit of force, he backed as if under her spell. Azela closed the door and smiled as she entered the bedroom.

She turned her shy gaze to the floor.

“I don’t think you’ll talk about it when I ask you to.”

“….”

“But, I will ask.”

She still had her hand on his chest. Zagnac still hadn’t shrugged her hand.

“If I hadn’t asked, and if Lane hadn’t told me…”

“Huh.”

“…When were you going to tell me?”

“….”

Zagnac gave no answer. No, he couldn’t answer.

In fact, he had completely forgotten about it. He realized that he must consume her soul. Even as he smelled the sweet scent from Azela’s brightly shining spirit, he put it off. So, of course, he had no intention of saying anything.

…The reason that he himself did not know.

“Zagnac.”

“….”

“I don’t know what state my soul is in.”

Azela quietly closed her eyes. She remembered the day and the emotions she had been through.

“The day isn’t as bad as it used to be.”

“Azela.”

“I didn’t even think about dying, and it’s been a long time since I didn’t dream about Irene. Unlike the days when I lived determined for revenge, there are quite a few days where I smile.”

“….”

“This must be the ‘lingering attachment for life’ you mentioned. I must have developed a lingering attachment to life.”

When Zagnac turned his head away and pressed his lips shut together, Azela lifted the hand that she had placed on his chest and touched his cheek. She then turned his head to face her.

“Keep the contract.”

“…Would you die?”

“It’s a contract I made with determination for Irene… Selling my body and soul to you was my choice, I was prepared for this outcome.”

She uttered in a firm voice for fear that if she spoke in a soft voice, her mind would weaken. Yes, this was her own choice, so he didn’t have to deal with the choices she made. This burden was she shared.

Azela, frowning, continued her words.

“It’s a pact with the devil. If you don’t fulfill… I can’t believe that Irene’s next life will be happy.”

“Your maid is already on track for her next life and is preparing to live her new life. You don’t have to worry.”

“No, words can do anything, so you have to show me that our contract is working… By eating my soul.”

“Azela.”

Azela put down the hand that had been touching his cheek and took a few steps back.

“So?”

“….”

“Is it time to eat?”

Zagnac raised his gaze at Azela’s question. His purple eyes were shining brightly.

The next moment, he raised his hand and covered his eyes to answer her question as his long fingers trembled gently. Azela let out a trembling breath, waiting for an answer to come from his red lips.

“…Not yet.”

Letting out his breath, he spat out short words. There was still a gentle trembling in his fingers covering his eyes.

“Not yet. It’s not time to eat you yet.”

She let out a sigh of relief at Zagnac’s answer. On this night, she was thinking that it didn’t matter if her soul was eaten by him and she died, but part of her heart didn’t seem to feel that way. Azela soon raised her head and looked at Zagnac with a hard face.

…Could she trust him? Could it be that what he just said was a lie?

“…Really?”

“…Yes.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Can I trust you?”

Zagnac lowered his trembling hand from covering his eyes as she asked that. Azela was reflected in the beautiful purple eyes that seemed to have contained the night sky, like a star floating in the night sky.

“You can trust me.”

“There is nothing I can do but trust you.”

“…That’s right.”

“So, you must not fool me.”

Her resoluteness made him depressed. Seeing Zagnac shaking his head, Azela sighed in relief and spoke again.

“Promise me again. If the time comes to eat my soul.”

Make sure you eat me.

Azela couldn’t bear to speak the rest of the words and bit her lips. Even though she came to say this to him, strangely, nothing came out.

Still, she wanted Zagnac to eat her.

As she stared at him, unable to let out the words that swirled in her mouth, he slowly opened his mouth. She watched his red lips open as she swallowed the words that lingered in his mouth.

“I will definitely eat you then.”

She gazed at Zagnac, who continued what she wanted to say, and nodded her head. Seeing her still shaking pupils, he warmly touched Azela’s cheek with his large palm and uttered.

“I promise.”

“….”

“So, don’t worry.”