Demonas

The Devil In The Cage (4)

‘I was not expecting something like this to happen…’

As a devil, it is not enough to simply calculate what needs to be kept secret and what needs to be hidden. Yet, he has not figured out or realised what he is?

Suddenly, Altair felt darkness slowly cloud her eyes.

Altair, who has no idea what was going on, continued speaking in a discontented voice.

“What’s with that bad look? Do you not believe me either?”

“Wait… It’s not like that, just stay still for a moment.”

Altair frowned deeply and waved a hand in front of her. However, Ahin continued to firmly stroke towards her.

“Look at this. You’re scared of these eyes, aren’t you?”

As his irritated face and expression came into view in front of her during her defenceless state, Altair, whose eyes were now wide open, stepped backwards.

In response, Ahin stepped forward. Altair stepped back. Ahin stepped forward once again. This situation continued repeating and repeating.

It was not until her back hit against the cool surface of a tree did Altair stop walking.

Cold sweat started forming on her temple.

‘No. If you look at my face this closely…’

Those fascinating red eyes that I seldom encountered in my past life are now looking straight into my eyes.

My heart started beating like crazy, reacting reflexively at the familiar stimulus.

‘Get it together, Altair. He’s only 10 years old. If I were to get tempted by him right now, I’ll just arrest and hand myself over to the guards.’

Feeling ashamed, she shook her head in hopes to clear her mind and looked down.

“Ahin, I’m not scared of you.”

“You say you’re not scared of me, yet you can’t look me in the eyes?”

Her actions, that were the complete opposite of her words, backfired.

Raising one eyebrow, he leaned in, pushing her face closer.

“It’s…”

Because you’re so beautiful.

Altair, surprised by her sudden thought, shouted, turning to stare him straight in his eyes.

“No, it’s uh… Do I have to say it with my mouth?”

“Huh, uh…?”

The next moment, upon realising what she had done, she quickly opened her mouth.

…my life is over.

Having been confronted by him at such a close distance, she felt as if she were back at the Princess’s birthday banquet in her previous life.

‘I didn’t want to leave the worst first impression of me you have…’

During her first meeting with him, she was pathetic. Since then, she has not made and held eye contact with him for a long time.

Moreover, that ‘sensation’ only grew stronger as Ahin matured. At some point, she had just given up completely.

Blinking a few times, she frowned, frustrated as she waited for it to come.

…But as time flew by, the only thing she felt was an awkward silence. The sensation that she had been waiting for did not come.

‘It doesn’t make sense. Does he not care anymore?’

She opened his eyes and looked at him, asking in a puzzled voice.

“What’s…wrong?”

“Well then. I guess it’s okay! Since I’m a human after all!”

This time he turned away, his face red until his earlobes.

“It’s not only you, but it’s also my father too. You all get scared when you hear weak and baseless things such as rumours.”

“…Ahin. Let me look at more of your face.”

“What do you like so much about my face?”

Ahin asked in a perplexed voice. However, Altair smiled brightly without a care in the world, so much so that his dimples were beaten, as she clasped her trembling hands on her cheeks.

“You have no idea. Just how long I’ve been looking forward to this moment. My soulmate. How big this moment is, being able to look into your eyes so plainly, those eyes that I have admired for such a long time.”

“What. What’s wrong with you? What are you doing?”

“You have no idea how long I’ve been dreaming about this day. I am…”

“Hey. Don’t cry!”

“Ahin… I really…”

“Master.”

It was Soren Roses, the leader of Unknown, who suddenly appeared and cut off her shudders of joy.

“The Count and the Crown Prince’s conversation is over.”

“What the hell are you…”

Ahin glared at Soren who was starting to get nervous under his gaze.

Soren proceeded to immediately melt back into the darkness without a response. Altair did not miss the flicker of emotion that showed in her eyes.

‘Is it a sense of awe… or closer to fear?’

Even though she was no better than Altair or Count Estarrot, she was still a master. A veteran who took care of all the work behind the scenes of the Chernobog household.

But, she who does not show any reaction for most of her life, felt fear upon meeting a 10-year-old child?

‘Is this the power of the devil? If so, why doesn’t it work on me of Arsene?’

Her mind was a little frazzled but it was time to get back on track and focus on the task at hand.

Once again, facing Ahin, she said as if asking a simple question,

“Ahin, listen to my instructions from now on.”

“How sudden, what is it? Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I have to leave for some reason, but I promise you, I’ll be back to see you soon. But please keep what I’m saying from now on in mind.”

She grasped Ahin’s little hand and weaved her fingers through, wriggling and waving them around.

“…”

Ahin looked down at the shape without a single word, then he looked up again.

He looked curiously at the presence that was standing in front of him. A presence that was not previously in his life just a while ago.

She’s about the same height as him. With delicate double-eyelid blue eyes, and a girl around his age who has bright hair like the warm sunshine of Spring…

Then, he was called out by her, “Ahin?”, and surprised in the middle of the grass field. He once again lowered his gaze.

“Okay…”

The boy’s cheeks were lightly stained red as he replied in a low tone. She could not help but laugh loudly.

“Alright then. First things first, no one should find out that you know how to wield aura.”

“…And what about father?”

“Yes, not even him. No one else should know, not even your father should know that I came here today.”

“If I were to tell, you’ll never come back here?”

“Yes, I won’t be able to come anymore.”

“…I won’t tell anyone.”

His father never comes to visit him in the first place anyway.

He added quietly to himself in a husky voice.

“You’re a good boy, Ahin.”

Altair laughed, her eyes resembling the sky crinkled to form a half-moon shape.

Then, as soon as she turned around, she took a quick step out of the garden. Ahin’s voice sounded somewhat tensed.

“When are you coming back again?”

When he turned his head to slowly face her, Altair appeared to be lost in thought for a moment before she opened her mouth.

“I won’t be able to come tomorrow since I’ll have to go to the palace. I’ll have to set up the next fencing class to be able to infiltrate here safely, that I’m not sure when I’ll get it done as well. The Crown Prince also mentioned how he would continue visiting me…”

“Fencing classes? Crown Prince? Why do you care about them.”

“I’ll tell you more next time. Now I have to go back to the room very quickly.”

“…Huh. Fine, if you want to go then do whatever you want.”

“Yes, then take care of yourself, Ahin.”

“…”

She turned and left the garden behind her with a somewhat unpleasant expression as she began to retrace her steps back on the path. Still energised from her lingering excitement from the meeting.

She arrived at the guest room, making an effort to conserve as much energy as possible to not let her absence be noticed by Arsene. Then, he quietly woke up the maid, who had fainted, to present an explanation on the situation.

“I’m sorry. I’ve heard stories about how my family members are said to be clumsy.”

As Altair spoke in a confident tone of voice, it was the maid’s turn that became embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, Princess. It’s because I wasn’t able to serve you properly. Please punish me.”

“I do not believe that is so… Instead, we may repeat such mistakes often in the future. So I hope you will be more understanding.”

Altair commented as the maid proceeded to politely bow her head.

“Of course, my Lady.”

Walking from the doorway, Altair nodded, satisfied with that answer. Charon, who was waiting with the other knights, then came up towards her with a bow.

“My Lady. The master requests for an audience.”

“Alright, I head there right away.”

‘Now, once I get past this last hurdle, then I will finally be able to return to the Duke’s estate comfortably.’

Altair, who swallowed once more as she straightened her outfit, then proceeded to follow the lead of the head knight.

***

Regardless of whether the Count’s aim was to break down the pride of the Duke’s successor or to emphasise the relationship between the two households, Arsene had requested for an audience in the library as he began the conversation.

“His Highness would like to meet you again next time around.”

He spoke in a blunt tone, eyes still fixated on the documents that he was focused on signing. His hand busily moving the fountain pen across the papers.

Altair, who gently raised her eyebrows in surprise, replied with her arms crossed in a rebellious manner.

“When would that be?”

“In two days.”

“Although I’ve shown a disappointing side of me today, I’ll make sure to not do so in front of His Majesty next time.”

As soon as she turned and grabbed the doorknob, she heard Arsene’s smiling voice behind her.

“With that broken sword?”

“What?”

Her bulging eyes turned and met Arsene’s.

…How did he find out?

Trying to hide her heart that was starting to palpitate, she fiddled with the sword at her side.

On the outside, she had thought she had kept it well-concealed and hidden so that no one would be suspicious. Did he notice that the centre of gravity of the severed sword was tilted forward?

‘No, there’s no need to be nervous. I can easily say that I broke it while I was working with the knights after the fight with him.’

So, she rebutted with a tight-lipped mouth,

“This… this happens when you fight a little too violently. After all, didn’t I break my sword when we first fought too?”

“You did. I guess he has yet to give you a good sword since then.”

“I didn’t want to trouble him, so I didn’t ask him for one.”

“A sword is more important than the life of a swordsman. Did he know that he had to tell you something like that?”

“The Duke! My father is not such a swordsman!”

She shouted, face pale with shock.

Turning around the pen he held in his hand to point it towards her, he said,

“No, not the Duke, but ‘Master’.”

“…!”

Her gaze, unable to hide her embarrassment, shook relentlessly.

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Arsene, who had been observing the whole situation play out with a hand on his chin, waved his hand in a swift motion.

“Fine, you may leave now.”

“…Yes, that’s what I was hoping for.”

Turning to glare at Arsene, she soon closed the door with a loud “thud!” before leaving.

After glancing back at the door Altair had just left from, he laughed and returned to seat and began to sign the papers once again.