(unedited)

My mouth dropped open in astonishment, and Liel closed it with his hand. He flashed me a smile before turning and walking toward the bathroom.

Our conversation was cut short by Liel’s unforgiving back.

Silently, I rolled my eyes and followed Liel’s trail.

He ran a hand through his hair, and I watched as it turned from black to white again.

Tak—

It wasn’t until I heard the door close that the weight on my shoulders dropped.

In that moment, my brain stopped thinking. I could no longer blame Liel’s behavior on the demon.

This was love at its most extreme.

I decided to just give in and admit it.

The devil be damned, he’s just the way he is. The demon’s power was literally just empowering Liel.

The admission of Liel’s flawed humanity stunned me. I would have stood there for a long time if I hadn’t heard the unmistakable splash of water.

“Huh…..?”

Suddenly, I realized that it was the bathhouse attached to this room that Liel had just entered.

Recalling the source of the sound, I felt my face stiffen even more than before.

Sensing unease, I clutched the blanket tightly in my hands and looked toward the door he’d entered.

Why is he washing up here?

I held my breath and focused my attention on the bathtub. Whether he was washing or not was really none of my business.

Besides, this was Liel’s room, so it was only natural that he would wash here.

I know, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit harsh on my part, apart from the natural circumstances.

If I’m here, why do you wash here too……?

Meanwhile, I pushed the fact that I didn’t wash up to the back of my mind.

Instead, I rushed to the door of my room, grabbed the doorknob, and began frantically turning it from side to side like a caged animal.

“Everything else is, but not this!”

I said, pale as a sheet.

It didn’t make sense for a man and a woman to be locked in the same room for this long in the first place. Especially when one of them liked the other.

“Ugh!”

In fact, I had tried to open the door a few times before Liel came, but of course, it wouldn’t open, so it wouldn’t be much different now.

“I’m not ready, I’m not ready……!”

I’ve never been in a relationship, so I can’t possibly be ready for that, especially not with Liel.

I felt my pale face flush as I remembered his large pecs that were so clearly visible in the dark room.

I slowly lowered my gaze to his pajama-clad body.

“…….”

I grabbed the doorknob again and sagged.

Rattle, rattle, rattle.

I shook it so viciously that a creaking sound echoed through the door.

No, there’s no keyhole, so why is the door locked? It’s not like it’s locked from the outside, which would require Liel to get out.

So why is this door locked?

The hairs on my head stood on end as soon as I recognized the oddity.

I knew it, but this place is weird.

As I fumbled with the doorknob, sweating profusely, the sound of water stopped. A cold sweat trickled down my spine.

Soon after, I heard the sound of a door opening, followed by footsteps. At least the door here would open.

I was mumbling something inane when I felt a tap on my back.

“What are you doing?”

The voice was plain, with nothing but pure curiosity in it. He didn’t seem too upset that he knew I was trying to get out, which I guess I should consider a relief.

But the biggest question still remained.

“No matter what……!”

I said without looking back, hoping to make one last stand. My legs gave out and I slumped to the ground.

“There’s a proper order for people……!”

“What?”

My hands trembled on the floor. He smelled fresh, like someone who had just gotten out of the bath.

“Yeah, I know you don’t know, but look, just because you like something doesn’t mean you can do everything!”

“…….”

“Come on, don’t get ahead of yourself!”

I didn’t even accept your confession in the first place, so why are you trying to take the lead on your own!

Even as I scraped together every ounce of courage I had, I couldn’t bring myself to look at Liel.

I was worried about what if he was naked. Even with all my remaining courage, I couldn’t bear to look at a man’s naked body.

“Ah…….”

A moment later, I heard an unintelligible sigh from behind me, as if my resolve had been conveyed.

Yeah, you got ahead of yourself, didn’t you?

“I don’t think I got ahead of myself…….”

Liel muttered in a low voice.

T, this person…….

“That’s why you washed then came out……!”

“…….”

Judging by the lack of response, I must have hit the nail on the head. I took advantage of this and quickly continued.

“And I haven’t washed my face since yesterday, let alone showered!”

I’m dirty, and I don’t want you anywhere near me!

I felt a little better after saying what I wanted to say, but once again, I didn’t get a response from Liel.

I wondered.

The longer the silence lingered, the more I realized that something was wrong. I removed my hand from my head and squinted at Liel, realizing he was not naked.

He was dressed so tightly that I could barely see his wrists and ankles.

“…….”

I glanced up and saw Liel staring down at me with a devilish grin on his face.

My jaw dropped.

“I didn’t think you’d think that far for a wash.”

Liel said, covering his mouth with his hand as if to hide his belated laughter. I looked at his straightened fingers and repeated to myself that I was screwed.

“I wasn’t going to do that yet…….”

Thank goodness for that. Something about the word “yet” bothered me, but I tried to pretend I didn’t hear it.

Soon after, Liel added.

“Of course, if you want—-”

“No!”

I shook my head, not wanting to offend him. Then Liel’s eyes curved into a crescent.

“When I leave, you’ll have to wash up, too. You’re going to be uncomfortable.”

Just be honest and say I’m dirty.

With that, Liel slipped past me in the doorway and put his hand on the doorknob.

The door swung open like a lie, as if mocking me for my efforts just moments before. It didn’t move when I was struggling for my life earlier.

My heart sank, and with it, a question.

“You’re leaving? At this hour?”

Does he mean he’s going to sleep in another room?

He’s so weird. Why does he lock me in his room?

I looked at Liel with deeply troubled eyes, and he looked back at me and asked,

“Why? Are you lonely to be alone?”

Apparently, he wanted to hear me ask him to stay with me.

Of course, I had no intention of saying that, so I kept my mouth shut.

My pride wouldn’t allow me to do what Liel wanted.

Liel smiled slightly as if he knew I would, and then he left the room without another word.

He never told me where he was going.

* * *

Surprisingly, my time with Liel was short. He wouldn’t let me take a step out of the room, making me wonder what he was doing wandering around.

Although he came to see me from time to time, he never stayed in this room for long.

My guess is that he sleeps in another room. It was a blessing in disguise.

“…….”

There was nothing to do but stay in one place, and the best I could do was drape my arms over the window sill and watch Mammon bustle about the garden.

And today, she was still pounding the wood with all her might.

As I watched her, I tried to estimate how long it had been since I’d been here.

By my rough calculations, it had been almost a week.

“Everyone must be worried…….”

If I’ve been missing for nearly a week, that means the position of House Seywint has been vacant for a week.

The Marquisate should have been scrambling to find me by now.

The problem is, no one from the Marquisate has been visiting Liel’s mansion.

No, no, no.

If I’ve been missing ever since I visited Liel’s house, why hasn’t anyone come to look for me?

Of course, it could be because no one knows where Liel’s mansion is, but the coachman who came with me knew where it was.

It’s unlikely he would have kept the location of Liel’s mansion a secret since I disappeared.

A week is too short. It will take more time.

Regardless, the hope that the mansion would come to my rescue was the only hope I had here.

One concern, however, was that Liel would not leave them alone.

“Come on, you can’t tell me that…… even though he’s on a rampage now, these are people he’s known since childhood…….”

Will he kill them……?

I asked myself, but I didn’t dare say yes. I don’t even know what’s inside him anymore…….