Chapter 710 We Feel Just As You Do

Chapter 710 We Feel Just As You Do

Asher's gaze sharpened, narrowing in on Cecilia. He could have dealt with her differently—blackmail would be easy, bending her to his will like a pawn.

But that would only confirm to her that he was no better than her power-hungry husband.

And unlike Rachel, who he could take his time manipulating, he didn't have the luxury of time or patience with Cecilia. She was also not really a pushover, and he might lose it all if he tried to push her too much.

So, with a slight edge to his voice, he asked, "Are you sure you want me to show you who I really am? What if you can't handle the truth?"

Cecilia's heartbeat quickened, but she pressed her lips together in defiance. "I am the only one who can decide that. I can handle it. You shouldn't underestimate me."

A chuckle escaped Asher, but his amusement quickly vanished as his eyes darkened. Without a word, he seized her wrist. "Follow me," he commanded.

"Wai–Where are you taking me?" Cecilia stammered, her confusion mounting.

Yet she didn't resist, allowing him to guide her down a winding path to a small, decrepit building hidden near the mines. The abandoned hostel loomed in shadow, the air thick with dust and silence.

"Did we really have to come inside this old building that could fall over us at any moment?" Cecilia asked, her skepticism apparent. Why was he being so secretive? She didn't have a good feeling about this.

"I can't risk prying eyes," Asher replied coolly, casting a glance around before turning back to her. His voice grew serious, "Besides, it's safer in here—for you."

She furrowed her brows, uneasy, "You better not—"

But her words were cut off as Asher cupped her face, his skin suddenly igniting with an eerie, dark green flame. She watched in horror as his flesh melted away, the muscles and sinew vanishing until only a charred skeleton remained, bathed in that otherworldly green fire.

Eerie, hollow eye sockets stared back at her from within the blazing skull.

Her chin quivered, the radiant blue light flickering around her hands like a candle caught in a breeze, as if her strength itself was dimming.

But then, she looked up, her eyes still shaking yet determined, "Maybe you're not wrong, but that doesn't make you any better. You've killed innocents, Hunters, terrorizing my world. I should be calling every Hunter in the WHA to kill you now, even if it won't cleanse me of my sins."

Asher began to close the distance between them, his stride slow but deliberate, his voice softer yet laced with undeniable conviction. "No, you won't. And do you know why? Because deep down, you know I'm trying to do the right thing."

Cecilia shook her head in disbelief, stepping back as though it would keep him away. But he pressed on, "Yes, you're right. I have killed innocents and Hunters, but my hand was forced. You'll never understand what it means to live as a demon, cursed to fight for survival in a world while having to defend ourselves against Hunters who show no mercy."

His words took on a raw edge, exposing the burden he carried, "You think our lives mean nothing because we're demons? Do you believe we feel nothing, have no heart, no soul? Not all demons are the bloodthirsty fiends you imagine. We are capable of love, anger, sorrow... just as you are. The only difference is the world we are born in and the nature of mana that flows through our veins."

She stopped moving, his words striking her somewhere deep, twisting the beliefs that had been instilled in her since she was young.

She found herself staring, seeing for the first time a glimpse of pain and sadness in his hollow gaze. A demon... with sorrow, with remorse? Could they truly be so much like humans?

"All your life, you've been taught that demons are little more than evil beasts. That teaching made it easier for you Hunters to justify killing us without blinking twice. But we feel just as you do." His voice softened as he closed the last few inches between them, his gaze holding hers steadily, "If malice were all I had to offer, I wouldn't be standing here, exposing my true self to you, speaking to you."

The eerie flames enveloping his skeletal form began to dim, flickering out as flesh, muscle, and skin returned, piece by piece, until he looked human once more. With gentle hands, he reached out, cupping her cheek as he murmured, "I still only want to save you, Cecilia... from the schemes your husband has set in motion. And because, against all odds, I want you for myself."

Her hands trembled as he touched her face, her mind urging her to push him away. But her heart kept her frozen, her chest aching with uncertainty, confusion, and a truth she was almost afraid to admit. She looked up, her voice a bare whisper, "I... I don't know." She gently pulled his hand from her cheek, adding, "You may have shown me your true self, but that doesn't mean I understand what you're planning. I can never know."

Asher took a step back, nodding slowly, "I understand. I can't ask you to trust me. But perhaps," he said, his tone softening, "you can trust family."

She blinked, her confusion mounting—until the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall.

She turned, and her eyes widened, catching her breath as a figure stepped into the light. A young woman with long, silky blue hair and radiant blue eyes, her expression tinged with concern.

"Rachel??" Cecilia gasped, her voice filled with shock, unable to believe her own eyes. Why was her daughter here?!

"Mom..." Rachel mumbled with a look of guilt and worry as she began to approach her shocked mother.