Chapter 242 - Paid Service

After Trisha left, exactly one hour after that, there was a knock on the front door. Teren was suspicious at who could've been it since he didn't believe that Trisha would come back so fast.

However, he was far from cautious. Enemies at his level could attack him whether there's a thin wooden door or not between them.

Thus, there was no hesitation when he opened it. Then, he saw who just knocked and his jaw slightly dropped before he immediately calmed himself.

"Iesa-"

"It's Dehian."

Dehian coldly intervened before letting herself enter without asking Teren for permission. Of course, Teren wouldn't block her so she went straight onto the living room.

"Umm..."

Teren was confused and was greatly fazed. Maybe, only in front of Iesa/Dehian would he act so timid and weak.

A glow appeared upon Dehian's pupils as she could see not only space but also time.

"Interesting... right after the breakup, you're already with another girl."

"..."

Like a child who was caught redhanded, Teren stiffened up as he perspired.

"Don't worry, even Iesa permitted you. I didn't think you would be able to stand doing such cruelty on her even with emotions. Maybe, you're actually naturally evil, not a person who was just void of emotions to feel guilt and sympathy."

Dehian crossed her arms and looked down on Teren.

"S-sorry..."

Teren muttered.

"Hm, pathetic. Sit down."

After showing his power to Trisha, Teren was submissive and sat down as Dehian said. As if she owns the place, Dehian comfortably sat adjacent to where Teren is.

Soon after, she took a bundle of money from her bag and put it on the table before pushing it towards Teren.

"... I'm here for a reason. This is an advance payment."

Teren was baffled. Why is Dehian giving him money? She should know that he's rich, right? If she wants him to do something, she should know that with just one word, he will do it. So the money is ultimately pointless.

"What is this for?"

He asked.

Dehian closed her eyes and there was a long silence which made Teren palpitate out of anxiety. Soon after, she finally opened her mouth and explained.

"I deeply hate you to the bones for what you did in the capital. I treated you like a little brother yet, as young as you are, you murdered Professor along with his hard work and legacy. You destroyed everything that gave meaning to my life and the foster father who gave me that life."

Teren's eyes wandered to the side as he couldn't rebuke her. What she said was right, he didn't try to reason his actions out. The consequences of his actions wouldn't change.

"However, it's different for Iesa. You freed her and gave her the time of her life. But she would soon disappear, seeing the state you are in right now. True, Iesa permitted you and you're both aware that it's for your own good. The question is though, was she happy about it? The more her love for you lessens, the more my hate for you gets free from being restrained."

Dehian paused for a while as she stared at Teren who showed a depressed expression.

"On the other hand, since you took my purity, my body's been craving. Masturbating is no longer enough. But don't misunderstand. This is just business, there's nothing more beyond it. I'm just asking you for your service."

"You want... sex?"

"Well, if that's a no I will never come bac-"

Dehian immediately stood up as she took her money but Teren grabbed her wrist.

"Why would I say no? It should be a given already. I would do it even without the money."

Teren said but he already understood the point of money. As Dehian said, it's just formality to say that she's going to ease her urges with Teren's 'services'.

"If you will do it then take the money or I'll consider going to a different plac-"

"Here, I received it."

Teren immediately took the money from Dehian's hand. Afterwhich, the two became silent and eye contact was forged.

Five seconds have passed.

Ten seconds...

How long has it been since they got privacy for themselves?

Fifteen seconds...

Finally, Teren took her hand and sat down on the couch, pulling her. Dehian then sat beside him too. Teren took a moment to calm himself. He was inconceivably excited while being confused. Are they doing the right thing?

....

Hesitant thoughts soon faded away as a great desire emerged from him. He leaned forward but a hand stopped his lips from touching hers.

"Stop, I didn't say you could kiss me."

"Huh..?"

"I think... this is enough... for now."

Dehian said with a frown as her hand crawled and made her and Teren's hands interlocked.

"... okay."

Teren didn't know but he smiled.

Nothing happened. However, it was heart racing and comforting at the same time. Not just for Teren.

Soon though, Dehian spoke destroying the sweet silence.

"Why did you have to make it so complicated?"

Teren looked at her and saw that Dehian have a face of regret. They were no longer lovers, they were enemies. Feeling the warmth from each other was unnatural. That would be too good to be true.

"It should've been just either you or I should die. Who would win, who would lose? Who will live, who will die? Would I get my revenge or fail? But then you went and made Iesa fall for you. My hate for you was being overshadowed by Iesa's... my love for you."

Teren's eyes widened when he heard this.

'She admitted it...?'

"I cannot let you live but at the same time, I cannot let you die. I want you to mess with my heart, play with other girls, which will fuel my hatred but I'm just getting jealous. It's just making me want to get back to you..."

Dehian frowned, she didn't seem to have the ability to stop her tongue from revealing her emotions.

"However, we're still enemies. That will never change since you destroyed the Central. If I don't hate you, what kind of an ungrateful daughter would I be? I should just kill you right now and live a normal life like what Professor wanted me to live my life but you...!"

Dehian gritted her teeth before continuing.

"... but you made me love you. You're really my enemy, making my life much harder."

Teren felt a painful grip from Dehian then a moment later, it would be a gentle caressing as if she's feeling the sensation of his warmth and skin.

"I wonder, what will happen to us."

She said and went silent.

"Why is removing your love the only option?"

"...?"

Dehian looked at Teren with questioning eyes.

"Is the option of removing your hate does not exist?"

"Hm..." Dehian shook her head as if what Teren said is the dumbest thing ever in the world, "It will be pointless. I'm grateful for the Professor as he gave me everything I needed. To let go of my hatred for you is to let go of my sadness for him. If I completely move on, was I really grateful? At the same time, you will have a lover who would forget her loved ones. If that happens, what's the point? It removes the weight of my conviction and love. If I'm the kind of girl who could let go of her hate any time, I'm also the kind of girl who could let go of her love any time."

Life was never that easy. Not every problem has the perfect win-win solution. Everything has a price.

"Teren, were you more mature when you were a child?"

She asked before pondering and realizing something.

"... or... are you thinking of something dumber?"

"Why is it dumber?"

Teren asked which made Dehian's frown deeper.

"You're no invincible, Teren! No matter how strong you are, can you go against death? Is that what you're thinking about?"

"But it's possible."

"I know it's possible. I've been thinking about it since you killed Professor but the Ancient is the Guardian of the Spirit Plane. Reviving some means taking their Spirit back from either Hell or Heaven. Think, Teren, just the Ancient itself is enough to kill you a thousand times. It's possible because there's a method but it's a method that's impossible for us to use."

Towards, Dehian's explanation, Teren was unsurprised, he's aware of this.

"You know, I learned something new recently. The possibility that I may be an Otherworlder."

Hearing this made Dehian freeze and tilt her head out of pure confusion.

"So you don't know too. The Ancient you're talking about said that I am an Otherworlder a while ago. I would not believe her if not for the fact that I felt that strange power within me once after we just broke up."

"What? I'm not following."

"What I mean is, I'm not ordinary in the first place. What if? I can undo what I did?"

"Teren..."

Dehian stared at Teren as she called him, taking all of his attention.

"... if you're just going to undo it, why did you do it in the first place? Why did you destroy everything, killing all of us?"

Her eyes shook, this was a question she didn't want to ask.. Because, she didn't know how she would react if the answer is different from what she expected.