The dust settled. The last remnants of the crumbling golem blew past Lucy's boots. She didn't move.
Emma clutched her slightly bruised leg, breath steady now, her eyes scanning the figure standing in the broken space where the boss once stood.
His shirt was ripped, silver hair glowing faintly under the dungeon's strange light, and streaks of dark lightning faded slowly from his shoulders.
He turned around—eyes glowing red, horns dark and veined with demonic energy.
Her lips trembled as the pieces fell into place. "Caelen... it's you, isn't it?"
He didn't flinch. "Yes."
Lucy's chest tightened. "I should've known. It was staring me in the face. But the hair, the damn hair—"
"The color and this face throw people off," Caelen interrupted with a faint smile. "But you recognized me eventually. I'm... flattered."
Her expression twisted. "Why are you doing this to me?"
A slow exhale left his lips, shoulders relaxing. "I just wanted you to be mine, I guess."
The words slapped her across the heart.
"So that's it?" she spat. "You're just some twisted demon playing games with people's lives?"
The temperature around them dropped. Ice spread from her boots in jagged lines.
Caelen didn't react to the cold. "Lucy… be honest. Would we have ever gotten close if I told you the truth first?"
Her jaw clenched.
"I'm sorry," he said. "My selfishness dragged you into something you weren't ready for. But I never hated you. I wanted you close. Even if I had to... bend a few things."
Her voice cracked under the surface of her anger. "And what am I supposed to do with that? Huh? I don't even know how to feel right now. I should hate you. I want to."
"You're not feeling what you expected. That's Emma's wonderful and really useful skill. [Soothing Bloom," Caelen said. "It somehow lowers your defenses, softens the edges. It doesn't control you, so don't worry your pretty little head—it just… makes things a little easier to say aloud."
Emma stepped closer now, leg healed, her presence like a shadow in the background. Silent, tense.
Lucy noticed her, but didn't stop. Her voice cracked. "You two—you're both despicable. And you're both acting like this isn't a big deal. I didn't ask for this. You ruined everything."
Caelen's smile faded. "You talk like I turned you into a demon. But I didn't. That seed your father obtained? That was his doing. I just passed the package along."
She froze.
"We could even say I didn't even know if the seed would react and be taken by you. That was something he chose to test. Plus, I also needed to know if the tree in your yard was demonic or not. A simple confirmation."
Her breath caught. The worst part? He wasn't wrong. They could've tested it. They didn't. Her father trusted the book due to the demon language not being too popular in the world. He trusted Caelen's silence and his belief that a demon would not dare do such acts. And she trusted—what? Her instincts? Her memories?
"But you knew," she whispered. "You knew he'd use it. Don't pretend you didn't."
Caelen nodded slowly. "I did. I won't lie."
Her teeth grit. "Then shut up with the fake remorse."
"I never said it was fake. I told you what I wanted. I wanted you to have power. I wanted you beside me. And I wanted you to enjoy what you've become."
"You think this is some kind of gift?" she hissed, stepping forward. Her hand flared with magic. "Then take it back."
A sharp spear of ice launched toward him, but a glowing wall of light snapped up in front of him. Emma. Silent protection.
Caelen tilted his head. "Why not attack me seriously?"
Lucy's eyes twitched. She turned to Emma. "It's her. I know she's doing that skill you were talking about, and now it's making me feel—off."
"I see," Caelen muttered. He stepped forward, walking past the fading light wall. "Then let me try something else."
She backed up half a step. "What are you doing?"
He smiled slightly. "Trying to get you to like me."
Her heart thumped harder.
"To travel with me. To see things you've never imagined. To stand beside me in places untouched by humans. I want you to follow me, Lucille."
"Don't call me that," she snapped. "I'm not falling for your bullshit."
Another spear formed and flew toward him. This time, he caught it mid-air. It burned into his palm, smoking against his skin, but he didn't flinch. He tossed it aside like trash.
"You're still holding back," he said softly.
"Fuck you," she growled. "You did something to me, didn't you?"
Caelen didn't answer. He stopped right in front of her.
Her eyes locked on his. He was close now—too close. His face calm, His sharp jawline. The smirk that played on his lips. His eyes that, even though they glowed red, seemed... gentle. Seductive. Confident. Her throat dried. She hated how he looked. Hated how it made her feel.
Her hand iced over, and she launched a fist at his face.
He caught her forearm gently.
Her breath caught.
His hand was warm. His grip was strong but not cruel. And for some reason—some twisted reason—her heart skipped in her chest, and her knees felt too light. Her cheeks flushed with heat.
"You bastard," she whispered. "You're trying to seduce me into your nonsense."
Caelen's gaze softened, and for a moment, he almost looked genuinely sorry. "No tricks, Lucy. I'm just being honest with you. I want you with me. Always have."
She yanked her arm free, face burning, magic flaring—then faltering.
She hated this. Hated how her demon instincts betrayed her.
Hated that she didn't know what she wanted anymore.
And Caelen? He just stood there—waiting.
"Don't think I'll forgive you," she said.
He nodded. "I don't expect you to."
A silence settled.
Then Lucy's eyes dropped to his burned palm, the fading mark still smoldering.
"I really did try to hurt you," she said.
He smiled faintly. "I know. That's why I trust you."
And that's when Emma stepped beside them again, quiet but ready.
The air was heavy.
But he did not feel it and just went on with his desires
"You're really amazing too, you know that?" Caelen said quietly, stepping closer.
Lucy blinked. "What?"
He gently cupped her face. She didn't even flinch—just stared at him, confused, caught off guard.
"You know… every succubus or incubus gives into temptation after I turn them into lust demons," he said with a crooked smile. "It causes intense desire—lust. I thought I could use that to my advantage, make you fall for me a little… but all I got from you was pure hatred. Kinda disappointing, honestly."
Lucy's expression tensed. "Lust…?" she repeated, clearly stunned by the implication.
Caelen shrugged. "Surprised? I thought it was basic demon knowledge. You really didn't know?"
Her lips tightened. "You continue to prove how disgusting demons like you are," she muttered bitterly.
He let out a breath and looked off for a second, then turned back with something calmer in his eyes. "You know I used to be human, right? That's probably buried somewhere in the church's records."
That made her pause. "So what?" she asked flatly.
"I saw the Goddess once. You'd think someone like her—'the embodiment of light and good'—would be a little kinder."
Lucy's gaze sharpened, but she didn't interrupt.
"They summoned her," Caelen continued, voice lower now. "But to bring her into this world, they killed dozens of children. Probably over fifty. All my age or younger."
She flinched.
"I saw it," he added. "They didn't even hesitate."
"You're lying," Lucy said, her voice shaking. "The church… would never…"
He stepped in a bit closer. "You really believe that? That people won't kill for something they worship? Just to see a 'goddess' they've never even spoken to?"
She opened her mouth to speak—then closed it. Caelen's words echoed faintly in her memory.
"They killed all my companions, Lucy. And when she finally appeared, the Goddess said nothing wrong in her eyes. She didn't apologize. She didn't care. All I could feel from her was… control. Like she was above it all. Above us."
He locked eyes with her.
"If your goddess can look at dead children and feel nothing, then tell me—why are we demons the villains? Just because we were born like this?"
Lucy stared, unable to speak.
Caelen took her by the arms, his grip gentle but firm. "I'm not saying this to corner you," he said. "I'm sorry if it feels that way. I just… I want you to understand why I can't be part of that world again."
He took a deep breath and looked at her, softer now.
"I want to be happy, Lucy. With you. I know things are a mess right now. I know we're clashing. But I didn't want to see the day when you raise a weapon against me, like I'm your enemy if you remained human. That would hurt more than I believe it would."
Still, she was silent. So he pressed on.
"I loved those days. When we played together, we joked around. It felt like time didn't matter, like the world couldn't touch us."
"I just want to hold onto that. And protect it—even if I have to fight the world."
She looked at him, her expression unreadable.
"Are you serious?" she finally asked, her voice low. "You know what you're saying, right?"
"I do," Caelen nodded. "The Goddess is my enemy now. And anyone who threatens the people I care about."
Lucy stared. Then turned away—not out of embarrassment, but disbelief. She let out a dry laugh and shook her head.
"You can't even beat me at full strength," she said. "And you want to challenge a goddess?"
Caelen gave a half-smile. "She'll probably realize soon that her daughter's soul is gone… and that her ritual meant nothing."
Lucy didn't respond this time. Her expression darkened.
And then—she gasped.
Her hand flew to her mouth as thick, dark purple blood spilled between her fingers. Her knees gave out, and she tried to stay conscious but collapsed onto the cold stone floor.
"Lucy?!" Caelen caught her just before she hit the ground.
A sharp ping echoed in his mind. A system message appeared in glowing crimson text.
[Notice] — Lucille's primordial energy has dropped to critical levels.Her primordial energy has resisted lust, is close to depletion, and the demon core has broken.To avoid death, she must replenish her primordial essence.
➤ Sex with the bonded target (Caelen) will restore her core.Reward: +10 Primordial Points
Caelen's eyes widened. He stared at the message, then looked down at Lucy—her face flushed, body trembling, and lips parted in shallow breaths.
She was burning up. Her blood steamed against the floor.
And for the first time, her eyes met his… with fear.
To be continued...
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