Chapter 9

‘It’s quiet now.’

I went into the dressing room and took off my clothes.

Jien, who was silent in the corner, helped me take off my clothes.

The dress was pretty but uncomfortable.

I wore clothes that were easy to move around the whole time and then suddenly wore tight clothes, so it was inevitable that I felt uncomfortable.

When I changed into my pajamas, I yawned.

“Ugh, I’m sleepy.”

– I did sleep a lot. But to be precise, rather than sleeping a lot, it is more accurate to say that I am not getting a night of decent sleep.

It was due to frequent nightmares.

‘I hope I could get a good night’s sleep tonight.’

With my head lying on the bed, I gently closed my eyes.

As soon as I put my head on the pillow, I fell asleep.

In my sleep, I remembered the contents of the nightmare.

The dream’s substance was always the same.

A dream where bare, charred hands dragged me into the reddish lava.

I had a glimpse of where it was.

It was hell, deep and dark, beneath the Valley of Trials.

****

A scream rang out from the burning heat of my body.

But no matter how much I struggled, it was to no avail.

The scorched demons were impatient to take me into the lava.

Meanwhile, one person was watching me.

He was a man with red hair and dressed in a black uniform.

Leaning against the wall in a relaxed manner, he approached me.

Then, as if benevolent, he pulled me out of the lava and raised my chin, and asked.

“When are you going to wake up?”

He gave a twisted smile, and coincidentally at the same time, I woke up.

“Gasp! When did I fall asleep?”

Surprisingly,  breathing became difficult.

Cold sweat dripped from my forehead.

After wiping it roughly with my sleeve, I looked out the window.

It was a full moon night.

A buzzing noise could be heard from within the village, as though they had some light entertainment.

An exciting sound harmonized with the lights.

And the eve of the festival heightened with a strange atmosphere.

I turned my head and looked at Devoir’s bed on the other side.

A neat lily formed with root and steam symbolizing the Eardelos family was embossed.

Below that, and a bed was placed.

Devoir, who had finished his class, was asleep on a bed with a clean and noble design as much as this pure white castle.

I had no intention of waking him up, so I just looked at the child.

However, he seemed to have awoken from my tossing and turning due to his keen hearing. [TL/N- Asellus v.2.0 + Another male with monstrous hearing.]

Devoir rubbed his eyes and looked at me.

Then he looked at me, wondering why I was awake.

“How come you aren’t sleeping?”

“Just. The moon is bright.” -Lily.

“Oh, there’s a festival!”

-Devoir ran to the window after saying that.

Following him, I also looked away.

Outside, it was still exhilarating.

The enthusiasm for the festival could be heard all the way up here.

A light flashed at that precise instant.

Colorful lights were embroidered over the black sky as if a cannon had exploded.

It was a stunning sight. As I glanced up at the night sky dazedly in my slumber, Devoir turned around and yelled.

“Pretty!”

“Yeah”

I nodded my head at his words.

However, he continued to gnaw his lower lip as if he had more to say.

As I tilted my head, wondering what had happened, Devoir stammered and proceeded.

“But you are prettier.”

“Huh? Thank you.”

“Really!”  [Devoir meant he is not joking, lily is prettier than the fireworks.]

“Alright I know.”

I just chuckled at the way his face became stiff and grew crimson.

Then Devoir quickly turned his head.

He seemed to want to speak further.

But now it was late.

And I was obligated to put him to sleep.

Because if he overslept, he would undoubtedly be chastised to the point of shedding tears if he was late for training.

If this happens, Jien will reprimand me as well.

I said to Devoir, who seemed to have something more to say.

“Ah, let’s go to bed.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“—I want to play with Lily. Don’t you?”

Devoir lifted his head and looked at me.

After staring into his dazzling eyes, he seemed to have a lot of things he wanted to say.

But that’s Devoir’s case, and I’m sleepy.

And he also had a tight schedule for tomorrow.

No matter how extraordinary Devoir’s physical strength is, he might yawn all day long if I left him like this.

‘Or you might hide in a tree and sleep like a squirrel.’

What if I get in trouble again because of his mischievousness?

I shook my head affectionately.

“I will play with you but not now.”

“But, why?”

“Because I’m sleepy.”

Devoir’s expression hardened at my words.

He soon nodded with a sullen look.

“There’s nothing I can do if Riri is sleepy.”

Devoir closed the window with a sullen expression.

Then he came over to my bed and started to arrange pillows and bedding.

He frugally straightened the folds of the duvet and pounded on the bed.

Then he looked at me and shouted in a loud voice.

“Now, lie down! I’ll sing you a lullaby!”

– I don’t need it.

I breathed only a sigh, hiding my innermost thoughts.

Then he began singing a lullaby in a whispering voice that sounded nothing like Ar’s.

“Good night, my dear Riri.”

“Riri, are you sleeping?”

“…..”

“You must be sleeping.” -Devoir.

I deliberately closed my eyes and did not respond to his question.

It was because he thought that Devoir, who was exhausted from the fluff, would fall asleep on his own.

Besides, I couldn’t sleep properly because of the nightmare, and my eyes were closing.

It was around the time I was about to fall asleep.

Devoir said in a soft voice.

“Good night, Riri.”

On my cheeks, I felt a warm tingling. The sensation suddenly disappeared.

Being embarrassed by that, Devoir rushed back and ran to his bed.

A thick shadow fell over the clear, cloudless sky.

At the same time, the bright moonlight that lit the room disappeared.

In an instant, darkness fell into the room.

Taking advantage of that opportunity, an unknown person broke into the room.

Sticky, unpleasant energy lingered throughout the room.

I became paralyzed in that unexpected scenario.

I barely rolled my eyes and looked at the intruder, and his black eyes shone under the mask.

The intruder reached out to me.

I can feel the darkness and the scent of death.

I opened my eyes wide at the familiar energy and looked at him.

The person’s eyes lit up with joy.

“…I found you.”

“Riri!”

His voice was buried in the roar of Devoir.

Devoir drew out his training sword and pointed it at the intruder.

At the same time, the intruder also turned away from me and reached out to Devoir.

I glared at him with intervertebral eyes.

What do you mean by ‘I found you?’

Soon I came to a conclusion he was of the same kind as me, Deldea.

The sudden intruder’s visit gave Devoir momentum.

Because of that, a tense feeling lingered in the room in an instant.

It was an unbelievable sight for the power of only six years old.

He said he was trained every day, but as expected, that’s why he is the Male lead.

[becuse the dark aura can’t oppress Devoir and like male leads, he is op though he is only six years old.]

I admired it in my heart, but he is just six years old.

Perhaps the intruder’s thoughts were the same and laughter flowed from his mouth.

“Is that all, kid?”

The intruder stretched out his arm and swung it.

The shadows in the room began to move in response to his movements.

– Devoir’s eyes widened as he could not have imagined that such a power would exist.

It was the same for me.

In the first place, if it was enough to infiltrate the Ardelos family alone, it meant that he was a relatively strong person.

No matter how strong Devoir was, it was not something he could stop with the power of a young child.

‘What should I do?’

The situation was so grim that it wouldn’t be strange if I had to die here.

Should I make some noise? I was agonizing over it and greeted with Devoir’s eyes.

The agitated eyes fell silent the moment they looked at me.

Devoir’s eyes were filled with determination.

‘What are you going to do.’

In this tense situation, Devoir opened his mouth wide.

Then he said in a loud voice that made the room reverberate.

“Riri, I’ll protect you!”

– At his words, I swallowed my breath.

It was never a good way to attract such attention.

[Lily meant Devoir was placing himself in more danger by attracting the intruder.]

The intruder was sensitive to noise.

In that case, he will strike him first.

It was as expected. The intruder reached out to Devoir.

In his eyes, an inexplicable pleasure formed and said meaningly.

“You’re doing something silly.”

As he said, it was really foolish.

‘What the intruder going to do by provoking him?’ -Lily

I looked at Devoir with anxious eyes.

But Devoir looked at me and smiled.

His smile was tremendous.

The shadow procrastinated and covered Devoir’s mouth.

The pain in Ar’s eyes is completely covered in shadows.

“Hwaa…..!”

Devoir’s complexion, who was suffocating relentlessly, turned white.

He struggled all over and began to rebel.

In the meantime, he still didn’t let go of the sword.

He kicked his feet recklessly with his face dyed red.

It seemed difficult to breathe properly. Devoir’s complexion was turning blue.

Meanwhile, his eyes were on me.

The emotion in his eyes was, ironically, not a designation, but anger.

Anger at the helpless self who can’t do anything about this situation.

I wasn’t the only one who saw it.

A smirk formed on the intruder’s lips.

Soon a cold voice flowed from his mouth.

“Are you mad, kid?”

“Ugh–!”

Devoir’s eyes sparked at his provocation.

On the contrary, as if he had gained strength from it, the staggering movement only intensified.

But what can a six-year-old do at the most?

I’m also helpless.

‘What should I do?’

I looked around with anxious eyes.

The only thing that stood out was a vase.

As I was about to pick it up and hit him.

The intruder turned his head towards me.

He reached out to me with a meaningful smile.

“Everything is for the great.”

Unidentified black energy emanating from him covered my body.

Clinking, the vase in my hand broke and soiled the floor.

My vision darkened, and a shiver ran down my spine.

‘Is this how I’m going to die?’

But his power didn’t work for me.

On the contrary, it was absorbed into me in an instant, like pouring water on parched land.

‘What’s happening?’

The doubt was short-lived.

Bang -!

There was a roar, and the door flew off.

It wasn’t just the door. One side of the wall flew away at the same time as there was a substantial bursting sound.

Broken debris scattered and caused dust.

The intruder who was precisely hit by the debris in the head lost consciousness and fell.

It was an internal injury. Only black blood flowed out of his eyes, nose, and mouth.

My immobilized body was freed as soon as the invader collapsed.

It was a time when the beetle, weak legs were about to fall to the floor.

A heavy figure approached me and hugged me.

In an instant, the view soared up.

As he stretched out his hand in a reflex at the sudden movement, to stroke my back.

Sturdy hands supported my body.

I turned my head and looked at him.

The blonde hair, which was brightly lit up in the darkness, tickled my cheek.

He was the lord of Ardelos.