Caladium slowly moved his gaze towards his hand. He caught sight of his hand that was soaking in the blood of the one he just killed, dripping down his fingernails. Adelaide’s face, on the other hand, was only clean.
A sly smile crept across his lips.
‘What did I expect? After doing this kind of thing.’
Caladium smiled bitterly and lowered his hand. Adelaide’s small shoulders flinching was not forgotten and remained as an afterimage.
Thanks to you, I’ve come back to reality.
It became clear that this was not a dream. He could now be sure of what attitude he should have.
His foot moved as he tried to take a step back from Adelaide. But just before his foot touched the ground, something suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Caladi!”
It was Adelaide. She grabbed his bloody hand with a desperate touch. Her shoulders were just flinching from a moment ago, and now.
“I was worried, so, so much…….”
A voice accompanied by tears. Tears seemed to fill her eyes just by facing Caladium.
Adelaide looked back at him with red eyes. With her slender fingers, she dug into his hand. She didn’t care even though that covered her hands with blood.
“Where have you been, were you hurt? Are you okay?”
Her eyes were full of worry. She missed Caladium so much. Every day and every hour.
He stayed stiff and didn’t say anything. He just looked down at Adelaide with trembling eyes.
“Why, why did you disappear without a word? Don’t you know how worried I was…….”
Tok. Her head touched Caladium’s chest. Adelaide grabbed his collar tightly and leaned into his arms, lest he ever leave again.
At the same time, Caladium’s expression shook greatly.
She was there, in his arms. Her sweet yet fresh scent wafted from her, and he could feel the soft texture of her skin on his. All of this was insanely thrilling yet painful. When Adelaide’s head touched his chest, it felt like his heart was burning.
“I missed you, Caladi. Please don’t go.”
He knew he had to leave, but he couldn’t. Her voice, her scent, just about everything about her was so seductive.
He wanted to embrace Adelaide right away and kiss her fiercely. He wanted to take her somewhere where only he could see her and monopolize her forever. He didn’t care what kind of life Adelaide wanted, he needed her to only look at him.
No, I can’t do that.
Caladium struggled to suppress the rising urge. Large veins bulged over his hard forearm.
Adelaide, who would see only him, would surely be unhappy. She would see him with eyes engulfed in fear and rage, just as she had feared him a moment ago. Then he wouldn’t be happy either.
Caladium loved Adelaide’s bright smile. He secretly admired her courage to not bow down in front of the strong, and her consideration to take care of those around her.
Therefore he could not dare to force or possess her.
Likewise, he could no longer be with her. If he stayed by her side, he might not be able to resist his desires and ruin Adelaide.
Although he didn’t leave the Greenville Dungeon for this purpose, he made a decision to not see her face.
“Let’s go back to Greenville. Okay?”
Adelaide in his arms raised her head to look at Caladium. However, her heart ached, seeing his somewhat detached expression.
She was afraid. Caladium made that kind of face and didn’t respond at all. She was so afraid that she clung to him even more.
“Caladi…….”
Caladium closed his eyes tightly at the sound of the anxious voice. He did it because he couldn’t bear to see her face any more, but it made him notice something that he didn’t want to know about.
He felt familiar energies in her body. Lisianthus and Lupinus’ energies were all over her body, as if they were claiming ownership of her.
Caladium gritted his teeth. Since he wasn’t with her, it was natural for her to consume the energy of the two, he had expected it, but still, he didn’t want to feel it directly.
He contorted his face and tried to ignore the energy of the two males. Then, he could feel a very subtle amount of energy in between.
It seemed unfamiliar, but it was also something familiar. A long time ago, when he used to be unashamed, the energy he was used to. It belonged to her.
“Ha.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t believe any of the rumors floating around. All the other kids trust you and are waiting for you.”
Adelaide went on quickly and in a hurry. Caladium then slowly put his arms around her shoulders, and he hurriedly pushed her away firmly.
“Why?”
As their bodies separated, his face became clearer. He was staring at her with one of his lips curled up at an angle. The sharpness of his eyes were colder than ever.
“Then why did you meet her?”
“…….Huh? Who is her…….”
“Ellie.”
Caladium answered with a faint smile. Just putting her name in his mouth disgusted him.
Adelaide blinked her eyes in surprise. Did it mean that Ellie’s energy was still there? It’s been a few days since she first met her. Adelaide also grew stronger and was able to feel her energy more precisely, but Caladium was at a different level.
“Ah, I met her because she suddenly asked to meet……. we didn’t talk much.”
“No way.”
Caladium’s stare seemed to pierce her. Adelaide hastily added at the ominous feeling.
“She said bad things about you. But don’t worry! I just listened, I don’t believe it at all. I said that you were a good devil, but she even countered that there was no way.”
“What…….?”
“I, we trust you, Caladi!”
Adelaide grabbed his collar and shouted. Then Caladium slowly closed his eyes and laughed. As she was about to laugh along awkwardly, his stone-cold voice stabbed at her heart.
“But why did you avoid my hand, Adela?”
His eyes were so strange. Eyes that showed no affection. This was the very first time.
“Ca-Cal…….”
She had to make an excuse, but his energy was so heavy that it was hard to even open her mouth. The hand gripping his collar quivered involuntarily.
Caladium removed her hand coldly and whispered.
“You trembled. At me.”
“Were you scared?” He added with a smirk.
Adelaide was silent at the stifling atmosphere. Me, afraid? That’s impossible. She couldn’t have been afraid of the Caladium she had missed so much.
But the moment he reached out her hand, she clearly remembered Ellie’s advice. Whether she wanted to or not, it was true. And Caladium accurately grasped her thoughts and was disappointed.
“Wait, Caladi! No, it’s, it’s just…….!”
Adelaide hurried up to him with a pale face. Why the hell did I think of that? Why did I flinch? She was regretting it terribly.
“Go, Adela.”
But Caladium’s attitude was firm. He extended his hand, dissuading her from coming any closer.
“I am not going back to Greenville. Playing house is over now.”
Her heart sank. A shock incomparable to when the group of Death Knights requested the termination of their contracts came over her.
Another demon’s heart was pierced, but Adelaide felt as if her own heart had been punctured, and she couldn’t bear it.
“You tear up the contract. I don’t have time to go there.”
“Wait, wait, Caladi! What, what do you mean…….”
Adelaide grabbed his hand with both of hers. Even though she didn’t move her body much, it was pitiful to see her breathing breathlessly.
“How, huh, how can I, that’s absurd…….”
Her limbs were trembling before she knew it. It was surprising that she didn’t collapse.
Seeing her like that, Caladium chewed the inside of his lip until it bled. He did it with so much strength that blue veins were terrifyingly welling up on his neck and temples.
Adelaide looked like she was about to collapse if left in this state. Even now she looked unstable like she was standing on the edge of a cliff.
He bit his molars tightly. His feelings of pity for Adelaide and the contradicting feelings for wanting her to suffer as much as he suffered himself mixed in his heart.
“Please…….”
“Why? Do you need war chess pieces?”
Caladium finally expressed his anger. And in a very low-key way.
“Or, do you feel bad that one prey for your regular absorption is gone?”
He said sarcastically in a voice without remorse.
Rather, he hoped that Adelaide would be angry with his own words and curse at him. “How can you say that, you b*stard, just get lost.”
But Adelaide’s pretty face was tinged with shock rather than anger. Her red-tinted eyes soon became moist, and her full lips trembled. She had a wounded face. Still, she did not let go of his hand.
Drip. Thick tears ran down her cheeks.
The moment he saw them, Caladium felt as if his chest was being ripped apart. He rubbed his face with his free hand.
“F*ck…….”
A curse word slipped out between the gaps of his fingers. He was the one who had hurt her, but he had a more distressed expression on his face.
“I’m sorry.”
All of a sudden, his mouth was filled with water.
[T/N: He didn’t know what to say and was feeling awkward + guilty]
“I’m sorry, Adela.”
Caladium lowered his head, hiding his face. Unlike Adelaide, he wasn’t brave enough. He didn’t have the courage to look her in the face. With the topic that eventually disappeared without being able to say the words he wanted to say the most, what was he going to do now?
“You are doing nothing wrong. It’s just me, the problem is all me.”
“Please don’t cry for me.” He begged harshly.
“So don’t be sad anymore, and don’t look for me. Don’t come alone to this dangerous place any more.”
Adelaide opened her eyes. But no answer came from her mouth.
She said nothing and remained silent but that wasn’t her intention. A foreign sensation dominated her whole body. The only thing she could move at will were her eyes. Her limbs and lips moved on their own as if they were being controlled by someone.
“……Go back, Adelaide.”
Caladium spoke in a voice, unclear whether it was a command or a request.
Then Adelaide’s hands fell from clasping his. Her body slowly turned away from Caladium. Regardless of her will.
It was Caladium’s power to dominate the body.
Caladium slowly moved his gaze towards his hand. He caught sight of his hand that was soaking in the blood of the one he just killed, dripping down his fingernails. Adelaide’s face, on the other hand, was only clean.
A sly smile crept across his lips.
‘What did I expect? After doing this kind of thing.’
Caladium smiled bitterly and lowered his hand. Adelaide’s small shoulders flinching was not forgotten and remained as an afterimage.
Thanks to you, I’ve come back to reality.
It became clear that this was not a dream. He could now be sure of what attitude he should have.
His foot moved as he tried to take a step back from Adelaide. But just before his foot touched the ground, something suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Caladi!”
It was Adelaide. She grabbed his bloody hand with a desperate touch. Her shoulders were just flinching from a moment ago, and now.
“I was worried, so, so much…….”
A voice accompanied by tears. Tears seemed to fill her eyes just by facing Caladium.
Adelaide looked back at him with red eyes. With her slender fingers, she dug into his hand. She didn’t care even though that covered her hands with blood.
“Where have you been, were you hurt? Are you okay?”
Her eyes were full of worry. She missed Caladium so much. Every day and every hour.
He stayed stiff and didn’t say anything. He just looked down at Adelaide with trembling eyes.
“Why, why did you disappear without a word? Don’t you know how worried I was…….”
Tok. Her head touched Caladium’s chest. Adelaide grabbed his collar tightly and leaned into his arms, lest he ever leave again.
At the same time, Caladium’s expression shook greatly.
She was there, in his arms. Her sweet yet fresh scent wafted from her, and he could feel the soft texture of her skin on his. All of this was insanely thrilling yet painful. When Adelaide’s head touched his chest, it felt like his heart was burning.
“I missed you, Caladi. Please don’t go.”
He knew he had to leave, but he couldn’t. Her voice, her scent, just about everything about her was so seductive.
He wanted to embrace Adelaide right away and kiss her fiercely. He wanted to take her somewhere where only he could see her and monopolize her forever. He didn’t care what kind of life Adelaide wanted, he needed her to only look at him.
No, I can’t do that.
Caladium struggled to suppress the rising urge. Large veins bulged over his hard forearm.
Adelaide, who would see only him, would surely be unhappy. She would see him with eyes engulfed in fear and rage, just as she had feared him a moment ago. Then he wouldn’t be happy either.
Caladium loved Adelaide’s bright smile. He secretly admired her courage to not bow down in front of the strong, and her consideration to take care of those around her.
Therefore he could not dare to force or possess her.
Likewise, he could no longer be with her. If he stayed by her side, he might not be able to resist his desires and ruin Adelaide.
Although he didn’t leave the Greenville Dungeon for this purpose, he made a decision to not see her face.
“Let’s go back to Greenville. Okay?”
Adelaide in his arms raised her head to look at Caladium. However, her heart ached, seeing his somewhat detached expression.
She was afraid. Caladium made that kind of face and didn’t respond at all. She was so afraid that she clung to him even more.
“Caladi…….”
Caladium closed his eyes tightly at the sound of the anxious voice. He did it because he couldn’t bear to see her face any more, but it made him notice something that he didn’t want to know about.
He felt familiar energies in her body. Lisianthus and Lupinus’ energies were all over her body, as if they were claiming ownership of her.
Caladium gritted his teeth. Since he wasn’t with her, it was natural for her to consume the energy of the two, he had expected it, but still, he didn’t want to feel it directly.
He contorted his face and tried to ignore the energy of the two males. Then, he could feel a very subtle amount of energy in between.
It seemed unfamiliar, but it was also something familiar. A long time ago, when he used to be unashamed, the energy he was used to. It belonged to her.
“Ha.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t believe any of the rumors floating around. All the other kids trust you and are waiting for you.”
Adelaide went on quickly and in a hurry. Caladium then slowly put his arms around her shoulders, and he hurriedly pushed her away firmly.
“Why?”
As their bodies separated, his face became clearer. He was staring at her with one of his lips curled up at an angle. The sharpness of his eyes were colder than ever.
“Then why did you meet her?”
“…….Huh? Who is her…….”
“Ellie.”
Caladium answered with a faint smile. Just putting her name in his mouth disgusted him.
Adelaide blinked her eyes in surprise. Did it mean that Ellie’s energy was still there? It’s been a few days since she first met her. Adelaide also grew stronger and was able to feel her energy more precisely, but Caladium was at a different level.
“Ah, I met her because she suddenly asked to meet……. we didn’t talk much.”
“No way.”
Caladium’s stare seemed to pierce her. Adelaide hastily added at the ominous feeling.
“She said bad things about you. But don’t worry! I just listened, I don’t believe it at all. I said that you were a good devil, but she even countered that there was no way.”
“What…….?”
“I, we trust you, Caladi!”
Adelaide grabbed his collar and shouted. Then Caladium slowly closed his eyes and laughed. As she was about to laugh along awkwardly, his stone-cold voice stabbed at her heart.
“But why did you avoid my hand, Adela?”
His eyes were so strange. Eyes that showed no affection. This was the very first time.
“Ca-Cal…….”
She had to make an excuse, but his energy was so heavy that it was hard to even open her mouth. The hand gripping his collar quivered involuntarily.
Caladium removed her hand coldly and whispered.
“You trembled. At me.”
“Were you scared?” He added with a smirk.
Adelaide was silent at the stifling atmosphere. Me, afraid? That’s impossible. She couldn’t have been afraid of the Caladium she had missed so much.
But the moment he reached out her hand, she clearly remembered Ellie’s advice. Whether she wanted to or not, it was true. And Caladium accurately grasped her thoughts and was disappointed.
“Wait, Caladi! No, it’s, it’s just…….!”
Adelaide hurried up to him with a pale face. Why the hell did I think of that? Why did I flinch? She was regretting it terribly.
“Go, Adela.”
But Caladium’s attitude was firm. He extended his hand, dissuading her from coming any closer.
“I am not going back to Greenville. Playing house is over now.”
Her heart sank. A shock incomparable to when the group of Death Knights requested the termination of their contracts came over her.
Another demon’s heart was pierced, but Adelaide felt as if her own heart had been punctured, and she couldn’t bear it.
“You tear up the contract. I don’t have time to go there.”
“Wait, wait, Caladi! What, what do you mean…….”
Adelaide grabbed his hand with both of hers. Even though she didn’t move her body much, it was pitiful to see her breathing breathlessly.
“How, huh, how can I, that’s absurd…….”
Her limbs were trembling before she knew it. It was surprising that she didn’t collapse.
Seeing her like that, Caladium chewed the inside of his lip until it bled. He did it with so much strength that blue veins were terrifyingly welling up on his neck and temples.
Adelaide looked like she was about to collapse if left in this state. Even now she looked unstable like she was standing on the edge of a cliff.
He bit his molars tightly. His feelings of pity for Adelaide and the contradicting feelings for wanting her to suffer as much as he suffered himself mixed in his heart.
“Please…….”
“Why? Do you need war chess pieces?”
Caladium finally expressed his anger. And in a very low-key way.
“Or, do you feel bad that one prey for your regular absorption is gone?”
He said sarcastically in a voice without remorse.
Rather, he hoped that Adelaide would be angry with his own words and curse at him. “How can you say that, you b*stard, just get lost.”
But Adelaide’s pretty face was tinged with shock rather than anger. Her red-tinted eyes soon became moist, and her full lips trembled. She had a wounded face. Still, she did not let go of his hand.
Drip. Thick tears ran down her cheeks.
The moment he saw them, Caladium felt as if his chest was being ripped apart. He rubbed his face with his free hand.
“F*ck…….”
A curse word slipped out between the gaps of his fingers. He was the one who had hurt her, but he had a more distressed expression on his face.
“I’m sorry.”
All of a sudden, his mouth was filled with water.
[T/N: He didn’t know what to say and was feeling awkward + guilty]
“I’m sorry, Adela.”
Caladium lowered his head, hiding his face. Unlike Adelaide, he wasn’t brave enough. He didn’t have the courage to look her in the face. With the topic that eventually disappeared without being able to say the words he wanted to say the most, what was he going to do now?
“You are doing nothing wrong. It’s just me, the problem is all me.”
“Please don’t cry for me.” He begged harshly.
“So don’t be sad anymore, and don’t look for me. Don’t come alone to this dangerous place any more.”
Adelaide opened her eyes. But no answer came from her mouth.
She said nothing and remained silent but that wasn’t her intention. A foreign sensation dominated her whole body. The only thing she could move at will were her eyes. Her limbs and lips moved on their own as if they were being controlled by someone.
“……Go back, Adelaide.”
Caladium spoke in a voice, unclear whether it was a command or a request.
Then Adelaide’s hands fell from clasping his. Her body slowly turned away from Caladium. Regardless of her will.
It was Caladium’s power to dominate the body.
