In the dim light of the room, the purple glow in Ivelia's eyes appeared exceptionally clear at this moment.
“It's like this again,” Ivelia said in a low voice.
Lin Ling's gaze darted around nervously. She looked like a child who had done something wrong, not daring to look an adult in the eye.
“Eh? What are you talking about, Lady Demon King?”
Watching her attempt to play dumb, the purple light in Ivelia's eyes grew even darker.
“You're like this every single time, completely disregarding your own safety. Why? Why are you so unwilling to turn to me?”
Ivelia's voice wasn't loud, but Lin Ling could still detect a hint of sorrow in it.
Hearing the Demon King's words, Lin Ling finally understood exactly what was making Ivelia so angry.
“Lady Demon King, let me expl—”
“It's like this every single time.” Ivelia didn't give Lin Ling a chance to explain. “You completely disregard your own safety. Why don't you rely on the people around you? Why don't you trust the people around you? Why...”
Thinking of how this little white fluffball in front of her repeatedly did dangerous things without any regard for her own safety, and thinking of what Lin Ling had just gone through, Ivelia's hands against the wall clenched tightly. Several tiny cracks even began to web across the wall behind Lin Ling from her sheer force.
Three thousand elite humans clad in mana armor. If Lin Ling's barrier had been just a second slower, or if the Silver Legion had possessed some hidden trump card that even Baroque hadn't noticed, Lin Ling might not even be standing here right now.
“But, Lady Demon King, what if?” Lin Ling finally raised her head.
She looked straight into Ivelia's eyes, her blue pupils filled with determination.
Looking at Lin Ling's resolute gaze, a wave of anger toward her welled up in Ivelia's heart.
“What if we were just a bit too late and Uncle Baroque...”
“Then that would have been my problem! Not yours!” Ivelia cut her off before Lin Ling could even finish.
She had completely lost control of her emotions. In those purple eyes, besides anger, there was an unmistakable, deep sorrow.
“I would have saved Baroque! That is my duty as the Demon King!” Ivelia practically shrieked those words. “Do you have any idea how precious your life is?!”
This was the first time since she had become the Demon King that she had completely lost control of her emotions. The entire room vibrated from the magic overflowing due to her emotional outburst.
Hearing Ivelia's words, whatever Lin Ling wanted to say became trapped in her throat.
“Do you know?” Ivelia looked at her.
“You've always felt that your own life doesn't matter. You've always thought that way!”
“No, I don't...”
“Yes, you do!” Ivelia cut her off.
“Because of that Deceiver's artifact! You completely ignore death. You want to protect everyone, and you want to bring everyone a better life.”
Ivelia's voice gradually softened. “But Lin Ling, let me ask you...”
She stared at her, her voice carrying a faint, trembling sob. “In the world you're building, is there a place for you?”
Lin Ling fell silent.
In the dim room, the faint light fell upon her face, yet it failed to reveal what she was thinking at this moment.
The girl in front of her always claimed she valued her life, appearing more afraid of death than anyone else.
Yet every single time someone was in real danger, Lin Ling would rush to the most hazardous spot without a moment's hesitation.
This time it was the Silver Legion. What about next time? What would it be then?
Lin Ling didn't truly take her own life to heart. She simply didn't care about it.
Ivelia's hands trembled as they rested on Lin Ling's shoulders. “Just do it for my sake, okay? Please, for me, cherish your own life a little more, alright?”
By the end, Ivelia even lowered her head, as if begging the girl in front of her to care for herself just a little bit more.
Seeing the sorrow the Demon King couldn't hide, Lin Ling fell silent.
She didn't even know how to comfort the person before her who was worrying so much about her.
Finally, Lin Ling reached out with both hands and gently cupped Ivelia's lowered head.
Seeing the tear tracks still fresh on Ivelia's face, Lin Ling offered her a gentle smile. “I promise in the name of the Saintess: Miss Saintess will definitely cherish her own life.”
With that, Lin Ling stood on her tiptoes. She pressed her lips against Ivelia's, using this gesture to comfort the Demon King, who was throwing a tantrum like a child.
Ivelia's body stiffened slightly.
Then, she reached out and gently wrapped her arms around Lin Ling.
It wasn't until Lin Ling was practically out of breath and began patting Ivelia's back that Ivelia reluctantly let her go.
“Phew~ Miss Saintess was almost suffocated to death.”
After saying it, she realized that the current atmosphere probably wasn't suited for such remarks. Lin Ling scratched her head. It seemed she had ruined the mood again...
But Ivelia paid no mind to Lin Ling's mood-killing comment. She hugged Lin Ling once more, pressing close to her ear, feeling the little white fluffball's body tremble slightly in her embrace.
“Lin Ling, I hope what you said this time is true.”
Before the person in her arms could even react, Ivelia pressed another brief, feather-light kiss onto Lin Ling's lips.
Lin Ling froze right where she stood.
Meanwhile, Ivelia had already let her go. With Lin Ling's face turning redder by the second, she quickly walked out of the room.
The door closed softly behind her.
“……”
“Uwah!”
Not long after, a sharp, high-pitched squeal echoed from the room.
Meanwhile, on the other side—
“Your Highness!”
“I told you there was something wrong with this Demon King's Castle!”
Hearing the distant scream, Zona instantly went on high alert.
She couldn't help but recall some mysterious books her parents had shown her when she was a child. Those books recorded certain special punishments that could make someone let out such agonizing shrieks.
“Someone must be undergoing some kind of mystical torture,” Zona said with a grim expression.
Yet, when she looked over at her prince, she found him still plastered to that damn window. His attention was completely captivated by the demon residents packing up their farming tools.
“Zona.”
“Look at the tools they're using.”
“They seem quite different from the agricultural implements near the capital.”
Zona: “...”
She stared at Kainster, who had already begun to seriously study the demon race's farming tools. Disregarding all etiquette, Zona slumped into a chair, looking completely burned out.
Thinking that her prince had already been bewitched by these evil demons, despair slowly washed over her face.
“It's over. He's a goner. Has he already been brainwashed without even realizing it?”
Rate on N.U.
