Rest for an Old Love #2
"Whoa! How did you do that?"
Meryl stood with her mouth wide open, drool trailing down her chin. Yuria, hovering just above the ground, shrugged with a playful grin.
"It's my ability."
"I'm so jealous! Can you fly really high too?"
"Of course. Want to try flying together?"
"Yes!"
"Come here."
When Yuria spread her arms, Meryl bounced over and turned her back, clearly asking to be carried. Yuria chuckled and wrapped her arms around the girl's neck and waist. As Meryl's body slowly began to rise, she swallowed nervously. But the moment she felt Yuria's warm hands, she relaxed and rubbed her cheek against her.
"Meryl, stay still. If you move, it'll be dangerous, okay?"
"Okay."
The two of them rose higher and higher—above the tallest trees in the mountains, above the pointed spires of the castle.
"Whoaaa..."
Meryl gazed at the castle below in awe, and Yuria felt the same. From this height, Tyrat's castle and its surroundings were breathtaking. The mountainside alive with the chirping of insects, and beyond it, the sea bathed in moonlight. The view was stunning. Even the winged monsters circling the castle added to the atmosphere. She could almost imagine living here.
"Lady Yuria! That's our house!"
Meryl pointed toward the middle of the mountain while Yuria was still admiring the scenery. Yuria snapped out of it and asked,
"Shall we go now, or stay a little longer?"
"Umm... I want to stay longer!"
"All right."
Smiling, Yuria carried Meryl and glided slowly through the air. Meryl's bright laughter made Yuria's own mood lift. After flying around the castle for a while, they landed on the mountainside.
Once on the ground, the dense foliage revealed a new kind of beauty. The earthy scent rising from the soil, the unique stillness of the mountains, and the azaleas stretching along the path brought a sense of peace. She was gradually becoming one with this demon realm. And unlike before, she no longer wanted to deny these feelings.
"Lady Yuria! Over here!"
Meryl's excited voice rang out as she bounced up and down. She clearly wanted to invite Yuria into her home right away.
"Meryl, the other monsters are trying to sleep. We need to be quiet."
"Oh, right. Okay."
Meryl pressed a finger to her lips, looking adorably sheepish. Yuria's lips curved upward on their own.
Meryl's house sat beneath a massive old tree that stood out even on the mountainside. Near its roots was a burrow just wide enough for an adult man to squeeze through. Yuria would have to crawl to enter, which made her hesitate. What if dirt got on the dress Tyrat had just given her? Still, she needed to investigate the house... There was no choice. She could always ask for a new one later.
"I'll go in first."
"Why?"
"If that intruder is still sleeping inside, it could be dangerous. You wait up in the tree."
"Ugh... Okay. If it's dangerous, yell. I'll come save you."
She was weak, yet she still wanted to protect someone... The sincerity in her voice made Yuria smile instead of answering.
Once Meryl had hopped up into the branches, Yuria took a deep breath and lowered her stance. But then—
"No need for that."
Tyrat's deep, distinctive voice came from behind her. Startled, Yuria screamed.
"Kyaaah!"
Meryl instantly dropped down, squeezed her eyes shut, and began pounding on Tyrat's legs with all her might.
"Hah! Hah!"
She even let out spirited battle cries, but what could a weak monster who had never fought before possibly do? Tyrat's body didn't so much as twitch.
"Meryl, it's me."
"Hah—huh? Your Majesty?"
Meryl stopped punching and tilted her head, confused. Tyrat gently stroked her hair.
"I've taken care of it. Let's go back."
Yuria, who had been leaning against the tree trunk with a hand on her chest, caught her breath and glared at him. She was annoyed that he had startled her so casually. Or rather, she was sulking. She pouted.
"Aren't you going to apologize? I almost had a heart attack!"
"You scare quite easily, don't you?"
"That's not it..."
Yuria bit her lip, stopping herself from arguing. She always lost when she tried to argue with Tyrat. No matter how much she rebelled, he would calmly refute her every time. She didn't want to waste her energy.
"Ah... Fine. I won't say anything... But what do you mean, you've taken care of it? What happened?"
"Exactly what I said. While you two were sleeping, I finished the investigation."
"You said you wouldn't get involved."
"I had nothing else to do, so I handled it myself. I caught the intruder and locked him in the dungeon."
"He's going to be executed, right?"
Tyrat gave her an ambiguous look.
"I'm not sure if you'd want that."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Let's head back."
Tyrat extended his hand to Meryl. She looked up at him in surprise, then grinned and took it. Seeing this, Yuria suddenly rushed over and grabbed Meryl's other hand. The three of them began descending the quiet mountain together, like a harmonious couple taking their child on a picnic.
@@
After bringing Meryl into the castle, the two of them headed for the dungeon. On the way, Tyrat told Yuria about the intruder's identity.
"A human male... in his twenties...?"
Tyrat nodded silently. Yuria immediately realized who it was. A human man in his twenties found in the mountains? There was only one possibility.
"Aaron...?"
"Yes."
It was Aaron after all. After using the portal, something must have gone wrong, and he'd wandered the mountains until he stumbled upon Meryl's house and stayed there for a night. Now she understood why Tyrat had said he wasn't sure if she'd want an execution. Aaron was the one she had once promised to marry. He probably thought she still had feelings for him.
But Yuria didn't care whether Aaron lived or died. She simply hadn't wanted to kill him with her own hands because he was someone she had once cared for.
"I see..."
"Are you sure you're all right with seeing him?"
"I'm fine. I'd rather you not misunderstand."
They soon arrived at the dungeon and descended the stairs under the guard's guidance. As they passed through the corridors, the kingdom's citizens stared curiously at Yuria walking beside Tyrat, but they didn't cause a scene—perhaps assuming she was negotiating.
When Yuria reached the ninth underground floor, she heard a strange sound.
Grr... Grr...
It was a mix of beast and human. Yuria stopped in the corridor and asked,
"Did you hurt Aaron badly? Has he lost his mind?"
"I only found him, subdued him, and brought him in."
"Really...?"
"Go inside."
Tyrat led the way, and Yuria hurried after him. He stopped at the farthest cell and gestured with his chin for her to look. Yuria approached and peered inside, startled. A disheveled madman in nothing but his underwear was wandering around, scratching at the walls. Even with dirt and dried blood caked on him, his handsome face remained unmistakable. It was definitely the Aaron she knew.
"Grr...! Ugh..."
Yuria met Aaron's eyes as he wandered aimlessly like a zombie. The moment their gazes locked, Aaron lunged forward and grabbed the bars, shaking them violently.
Clang!
His bloodshot eyes burned with lust, and drool dripped from his mouth. Yuria found the sight filthy and repulsive. How had the strong knight she once knew become like this? Tyrat had said he hadn't done anything to him...
Yuria stared at Aaron as if he were a zoo animal and asked Tyrat,
"What's wrong with him?"
"He's consumed by desire."
"I'm asking why he's consumed by desire."
Tyrat leaned down slightly to meet her eyes.
"W-what...? Why are you...?"
Flustered, Yuria lowered her head. After studying her face in silence, he straightened up again.
"You seem fine. I can tell you."
"I already said I'm fine..."
"Very well. That man raped a succubus. When you mix with a succubus without consent, you gradually lose your mind. He forced himself on her dozens of times, and now he's completely insane. He's nothing more than a madman now."
The shocking news left Yuria's eyes wide. She wasn't surprised that Aaron had gone mad—she was horrified by the fact that he had raped a succubus.
"...What...? Rape?"
"While slaughtering monsters in the mountains, his mind gradually deteriorated. Unable to control his urges, he must have attacked a succubus who looked human."
"....."
"The succubus he violated wished for death. Since she was pitiful, I granted her rest with my own hands."
Yuria's expression grew solemn. Having come to empathize deeply with the monsters' way of life, she felt genuine sorrow for the succubus's death. At the same time, she found Aaron utterly pathetic. A human who hated monsters so much, yet had used one to satisfy his desires—and not with consent, but through rape. Dozens of times, no less. It would be strange if she didn't feel nauseated.
"After satisfying his urges, he wandered the mountains and killed dozens more monsters. What if Meryl had been home when he broke in?"
"Stop... Don't say any more!"
Yuria shook her head violently. She couldn't bear to imagine Meryl dying.
"He was a knight commander with a promising future and a strong body and mind. Yet he made an irreversible choice and reveled in slaughter while consumed by rage. That's the limit of human mental strength. It means they're insignificant beings."
Yuria genuinely agreed with his words.
"Yes... You're right."
In that moment, Yuria abandoned any thought of convincing her mother. She had come to deeply accept the ideology her mother had held before becoming a monster. The belief that monsters were far nobler than humans was now firmly rooted in her mind.
Yuria's clenched fists trembled. She felt ashamed to be human. So ashamed she couldn't even lift her head.
"Graaah...!"
Look at Aaron's disgusting state. He was neither human nor monster—just a beast. And that beast had tried to invade Meryl's home. Sparks flew from Yuria's eyes.
Tyrat, sensing her state, asked,
"What do you think?"
"He doesn't deserve to live. I'll deal with him myself."
The thought that she hadn't wanted to kill him with her own hands had long since vanished. Meryl had nearly been in danger. Her anger was overwhelming. Only killing him with her own hands would ease it.
Tyrat's lips curled into a half-smile at her unwavering answer. He picked up a sword from the corner and placed it in her hand.
"This is..."
"I prepared it in advance."
"You predicted what decision I'd make?"
"Who knows."
His ambiguous reply made Yuria feel as though she were dancing in the palm of his hand. It was as if he were pushing her to discard all her old feelings. But none of it mattered anymore. Aaron deserved to die here.
"Grr...! Graaah!"
Aaron continued shaking the bars. Yuria drove the sword into her former fiancé's neck with cold eyes.
Shunk...
The sharp blade pierced his soft flesh.
"Kuh... Krrk...!"
Aaron's body went limp, and foam mixed with blood bubbled from his mouth. Just before death, his bloodshot eyes cleared. He looked at Yuria—the woman he had promised to spend his life with—with an uncomprehending gaze and tried to speak.
"Krrk!"
Yuria frowned—not from guilt, but because human blood had splattered onto her neck when Aaron opened his mouth.
Filthy...
She stared into Aaron's eyes as the light of life slowly faded from them. They were filled with despair and sorrow. He seemed to feel wronged that his beloved fiancée was killing him. Yuria, however, felt nothing of the sort. She only felt the refreshing sensation of swatting a mosquito.
She should search the mountain later to see if there were more humans. If there were, she would kill them all for Meryl's and the monsters' safety.
As she thought this, she could see her own reflection in Aaron's still-bright eyes. Her irises glowed a deep purple, with vertically slit pupils. It was startling, yet somehow natural. These eyes felt like they had always been hers.
Yuria gripped the sword hilt tightly and drove it all the way through Aaron's neck.
Crunch...
With a chilling sound of bone being cleanly severed, Aaron's head twisted at an unnatural angle. His struggling body went still.
When dirty human blood ran down the blade and soaked her shoes, Yuria pulled the sword out with an irritated expression and tossed it aside.
Clang!
She approached a mirror in the corner that had appeared at some point and examined her face.
What...?
Her eyes had definitely been purple, but now they were back to normal. Emerald irises and round pupils. Confused, Yuria looked up at Tyrat.
"Well done."
At his praise, Yuria's heart pounded loudly. His voice sounded impossibly sweet. Even though it was clearly Tyrat's voice, it felt exactly like Jihyeok's. Her complicated emotions washed away in an instant, leaving her refreshed.
Staring blankly at Tyrat's face, Yuria blushed and answered shyly,
"Ah, yeah..."
Tyrat looked at her with satisfaction, then suddenly turned his gaze to the air.
"Marcela, show yourself."
A hidden monster portal appeared, its maw open. Marcela emerged from within, swaying her hips seductively.
"Oh my... How did you know?"
"I could sense your presence. What did you think?"
He was asking for her impression of Yuria's murder. Marcela glanced sideways at her flustered daughter and giggled.
"Watching my daughter stab her former lover's neck with such cold eyes... It was so depraved♡ I got a little wet down there."
"Just like you. Go wash up with Yuria. I'll be waiting."
"Yes~"
Tyrat vanished through the portal. Left alone with Marcela, Yuria watched her mother lick her lips with a long tongue and rolled her eyes. "Go wash up"... The way she said it was so suggestive that Yuria couldn't help swallowing.
"Mother has to follow His Majesty's orders. My daughter will too, won't she?"
Marcela's gentle yet seductive words made Yuria nod weakly.
"Yes..."