The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)-Chapter 28: Not what I expected, but okay...

"I...I was just wondering why you haven’t visited..."

Damn it! It was more embarrassing than I thought. Not about me wanting to see him, but that something like that had to be conveyed through a military-grade communication device.

I mean, there was nothing urgent about me worrying about whether or not he was angry with me.

It was so embarrassing seeing his subtle smirk, and even more so because I couldn’t even move my head to avoid his gaze, still being pinned down by his caressing hand.

"I didn’t think you’d be that bothered by my visiting schedule," his smile just got wider with the increasing heat on my face. "I’ll make sure to give you constant updates from now on."

Despite the teasing smile, his eyes were deep and calm, like a silver mirror that reflected the flush on my cheeks. But even then, strangely, my heart felt calm. Despite the increased rate of the beat, I felt at ease the moment he said he’d give me constant updates.

I guessed, even after telling myself I had used to being left alone, I still craved that company. Angwi was always silent, and Zia felt like a little sister that always shoved her favorite romance story down my ears at every chance. Natha, on the other hand, was the first familiar-looking face that anchored me to this world.

Or perhaps, since I had stepped into a new scenario—with me not dead and in pain anymore—I started to get more greedy, and craving for the things I had given up in my previous life. Like stuffing my stomach until I couldn’t move, like the feel of damp soil on my body...

Like the intimate company of my supposed-to-be groom.

"How?" I asked, and realized that my voice had become small and almost breathless.

Probably the effect of being too close to such a gorgeous face.

"Depends on what kind of updates you want to get from me," he smiled, and added with a chuckle after I gave him a confused look. "I’ll just get you a sound transmission orb next time."

I jumped at that, lifting my upper body despite his hands still rubbing into my face. "The one where we can talk long distance?"

This was it! The closest we can get to a phone in this world!

Different from the communication device that could be used for any kind of communication methods, and could transmit messages to any device within the continent so long the coordinate was inputted, the orb that Natha talked about could only be used for sound transmission. Also, the orb came in a pair, and could only use between the pair.

So it was kind of like a tin phone that used mana instead of a rope for transmission.

It was still expensive, but most high-ranking aristocrats could still afford it without blowing out their yearly income.

"You’re that excited?" he stroked the underside of my jaw, like someone would stroke their pet. "My, my, I never thought you’d miss me that much,"

Umm...rather than missing you, I was just anxious about your state of emotions.

Also, I realized that he always appeared out of the blue and took me by surprise. Couldn’t I, like, prepare myself first next time?

But I also thought it wasn’t that important to refute him since I did miss his presence to some extent. "Have you been busy?" I asked instead, trying to figure out whether or not he was mad at me in a roundabout way.

"Quite so," he removed his hand from my face and used it as a pillow instead. He closed his eyes and for the first time, I saw a semblance of exhaustion on his face. "I need to take care of the new Wrath’s successorship."

Huh...I paused, and straightened my back, sitting up on the grass and blinked in a daze. "The new...Wrath?"

"Mm," he muttered, and explained further. "It took a while to organize the championship, and when it started, I had to be there to supervise the battle. Most of the council members perished during the war, so it was also quite a long procession to educate the new Lord with the chaos in the border,"

I could see the frown starting to form on his face, and again, I was filled with guilt.

"Sorry..."

So, in the end, it was because of me, although not for the reason that I had been expected.

Well, to be fair, it was because of Valmeier and his kingdom. Somehow, it flew over me that the demon realm might be in political turmoil with the death of one of the Lords. I guessed the peaceful state and the gorgeous view surrounding me did a good job of keeping me blind.

But how could it pass over my mind just like that? Of course there should be a new Demon Lord of Wrath. Among other territories, Wrath had the longest procession in choosing their Lord. Just like how Greed had the wealthiest as their Lord, Wrath had the strongest, and was chosen through the championship inside their colosseum.

It must have been taking a while, and between that and managing his own territory, it wasn’t a wonder that Natha was busy and exhausted.

His eyes opened slowly, and an easy smile played on his face. "What are you being sorry for? The war or making me busy?"

"Both?"

He stared at me in silence, before speaking with narrowed eyes. "Lies,"

Yeah, it was useless lying to him, huh? I didn’t feel sorry for the things Valmeier did, much less for what the shitty kingdom did. I was sent here when everything was over, leaving me to be drowned in pain and scorn.

Was I supposed to feel guilty too?

The guilt I felt was an indirect one. It wasn’t simply because of the war and the death of the Demon Lord of Wrath. But that war and death compelled him to attend and take care of the new Demon Lord successorship, and that was what made me feel guilty.

A championship. A competition with a lot of participants and a lot of audiences, converging in the same place.

Hundreds and thousands of thoughts, swirling, filled with violence and agitation.

I stared at the frown that hadn’t vanished from his face, and reach my hand to stroke it. His eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t jerk away like when I touched his horn earlier.

"Is it still hard, being with a lot of people?"

I could see the silver orbs rippled with emotions. Of what, I had no idea. He always had a way to conceal his feelings and thought while having others’ spilled into him.

"It seems like you make good progress in your investigation," he smiled deeply, and I felt a momentary dread.

Right—what if I wasn’t supposed to read that? My finger stopped stroking his brows as a slight goosebump overcome my sense.

Hmm...but he did say he had nothing to hide from me, right?

His cold hand reached out and tapped mine which was on pause above his head. "Don’t stop," his smile lightened up, and my dread dissipated. Stroking the spots between his brows again, which no longer furrowed, I decided to just tell him about my finding.

"I found your notebook, the one inside the drawer in your study," I placed my palm on his cool forehead, careful not to touch his horns, and stroked the bridge with my thumb. I did it gently, in case he got offended by my reading his notebook.

But his reaction was mild, indifferent even, with the way he just hummed and closed his eyes again. "What’s the content? I don’t really remember."

"About the time you just awakened your trait, it seems,"

"Ah," he put his hand above his abdomen, looking as if he was about to sleep for real. "That must be before my mother’s death."

Wow, he said that so calmly. But then again, it happened what, seventy years ago? He was probably over that already. Well, it was the same for me. If I recalled correctly, I was fine already after a few years, although it also had a lot to do with me having to focus on my own survival too.

"So how about it? Are you any better now?"

Instead of answering straight away, he shifted his body and suddenly put his head on my thigh, dark blue hair flowing across my lap. "I feel better ’now’," he smirked, warm eyes looking straight at my face.

Ah, dammit. I was pretty sure this hot feeling in my cheeks was visible to his keen eyes. "I’m serious!" it was childish, but the only thing I could do to hide my fluster right now was with grumbling.

"Me too," he took my retreating hand and played with my fingers. "But yes, I’m better now at that thing too. It doesn’t bother me as much."

So it still did bother him to some extent.

"You’re not angry then?"

He raised his brow, and managed to tilt his head even while laying on my lap. "Why would I be angry?"

"Well...I thought maybe you don’t like me reading your...journal?"

With his hand that wasn’t playing with my fingers, he reached up and ruffled my bowed head gently. "Didn’t I tell you that I had nothing to hide?"

"So it’s okay?"

"I’m telling you it is."

"Then do you have the continuation of that notebook?"

His eyes, which had been narrowed into crescents widened, before he laughed loudly. "It wouldn’t be fun if I told you," he flicked my nose lightly.

"You just don’t remember where you put it, do you?" I narrowed my eyes, and his smile grew wider.

"Maybe?"

Well, at least he genuinely didn’t seem to mind my probing into his past. I felt glad that I came out to him. Less burden in my heart, I guessed.

Also, it meant I could do my search more sincerely and thoroughly next time, hehe.

"Ah, so is that mean the succession is over now?"

"The important part is, but..." he suddenly looked at me with a mysterious glint that got me flinching.

What? But what?

"Val," he smiled with crescents in his eyes. "Would you like to go to a festival?"