Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Angel and Demon (8)
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"How much... I wanted to see you?"
Bella, her face flushed red, asked shyly.
"As much as an angel descending into hell to see a demon. Would that be answer enough?"
"Ugh... why are you always so smooth with words... And it's way too dangerous. How could you even think of coming here...!"
Bella had been terribly worried on the way here that he might have gotten hurt.
"I'm fine. What I'm actually worried about is..."
Rael took hold of Bella's hand.
"When we parted, you said you'd be holding the ceremony soon."
At his words, Bella's gaze drifted to the ornate dress hanging in the wardrobe.
A marriage forced upon her by her father's relentless pressure—one she desperately didn't want.
"Let's run away together."
But if the groom were someone else...
"If we can't be together because one of us is an angel and the other a demon, then let's flee so far no one can ever find us."
That marriage would suit her just fine.
"Y-Yes... I like that..!"
Visions of a happy future flashing before her eyes, Bella answered without a moment's hesitation.
"It's a promise."
"Yes... then for now..."
But her next words never came.
"Mmph... slurp."
Bella's eyes widened.
His face filled her entire field of vision.
And their lips, pressed together, confirmed their true feelings.
Bella's soft lips parted, allowing his tongue to slip inside and tangle with hers.
It lasted only a few seconds, but to Bella, it felt like an eternity.
The very moment she wished this instant could last forever.
Creeeak—
"Bella, what was that? I didn't hear a knock..."
The door to her room swung open, and her father stepped inside.
"B-Bella...?!"
The count froze in place, his face drained of color.
His daughter, entangled in something indecent with a man who had sneaked in through the window.
"W-Wait... you, you're... an angel...!"
The count recognized Rael as an angel in an instant.
'So, that angel who was messing around with Bella in the human world...?!'
By the time the count pieced it together and looked back up at Bella...
They were already gone.
Bella ran, clutching Rael's hand.
"Rael! Did you see that?!! My dad had the dumbest look on his face..!!"
She burst into giggles, as if it were the funniest thing ever.
Of course, even that was utterly charming in Rael's eyes.
"You shouldn't call your father dumb, Bella."
"Pfft, who cares? None of it matters anymore. I'm escaping this hell."
Relief washing over her, Bella broke into a full sprint.
For someone who had lived her whole life under suppression, this act of rebellion naturally brought an overwhelming sense of liberation.
"I'm so thrilled right now. Being with you from now on will always feel this exciting and happy, right?"
"I can't promise every moment will be like this, but I'll do everything I can to keep you happy always, Bella."
When had this usually blunt man grown so adept at enchanting words?
Bella couldn't cool the heat rising to her cheeks from his relentless, no-brakes advance.
And that's when it happened.
Soldiers began pouring out from corridors everywhere.
"Seize them!! It's an intruder kidnapping the lady!!"
"But the lady's running away with him?"
"Then grab the lady too!!"
The soldiers chasing them seemed to multiply endlessly, appearing out of nowhere.
"What now? Should we just surrender quietly?"
"No way! Run for it..!!"
Bella didn't stop for a second.
She knew these maze-like corridors better than anyone, after all.
She was confident she could lose them by weaving through the twists and turns.
"This way!"
Bella took the lead, guiding them, while Rael gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go.
Right then, a soldier lunged forward with his spear, blocking their path.
"St-Stop!"
But Bella's casual gust of wind magic sent him flying far down the hall.
"Sorry~! Send the medical bill to Dad later~"
The soldier slammed into a wall and crumpled, but even more pursuers swarmed from behind.
"They're persistent. We might actually get caught."
Rael stayed calm and composed, as if he had an ace up his sleeve.
In truth, knowing who was by their side made his attitude perfectly natural.
"Why are you so relaxed?"
To her, the situation felt utterly dire.
As Bella shot him an adorable pouty glare...
"B-Bella!! Running off again, are you?!!"
A pudgy demon blocked their way.
Pig-like face, stubby legs.
It was Barvon, Bella's betrothed.
"Wh-What don't you like about me?! Is it my face..!!"
Bella grimaced at the sight of him.
Her dislike for Barvon wasn't just because of his ugliness.
"I gave you flowers every day, all sorts of flashy jewels too..!! Why, why do you keep dodging me..!!"
Barvon saw Bella as nothing more than an object.
If he had to compare her to something from the human world, it would be a vending machine.
"Then you should play nice and fawn over me! Fleeing to the human realm wasn't enough—you had to seduce another man too?!"
"I've never seduced trash like you. Move aside already."
"L-Liar! You smiled at me!! Daring to wag your tail like that..!!"
Thanks to Barvon's obstruction, the count's soldiers had now fully surrounded Bella and Rael.
They tightened the net, lunging forward all at once.
The moment capture seemed inevitable...
The door they were backed against flew open, yanking Rael and Bella inside in a flash.
The soldiers and Barvon exchanged stunned glances.
As Barvon raged and reached for the doorknob...
"Daring to barge into my quarters—the chambers of the count's own wife? I'll handle persuading these children. Don't even think about coming in."
The two inside stared at the woman standing before them.
An elegant black dress on a face strikingly similar to Bella's.
She bellowed at the soldiers beyond the door with majestic authority.
"M-Mom..!"
The voice belonged to none other than Count Asmos's wife—Bella's mother.
Tears welling up, Bella threw herself into her mother's arms.
"There, there. Crying so unbecomingly in front of your beloved... it's rather endearing."
"I... I didn't cry.."
Realizing Rael was there, Bella frantically wiped her eyes.
The mother and daughter embraced warmly.
Rael, witnessing it all up close, chose his words carefully.
"I take it you're the man Bella met in the human world?"
The countess's face gleamed with lavish makeup and jewels.
Her breathtaking beauty, effortlessly carrying it all, captured his attention.
"Yes. I'm Rael."
"Hmm... You're clearly not from around here. But a familiar face after all these years."
Like Count Asmos, she clocked him as an angel instantly, eyeing him head to toe.
"She does take after me—high standards indeed. Though I, sadly, chose poorly in a husband."
The countess dabbed at her still-sniffling daughter's eyes and strode to a corner of the room.
"When you refused that marriage... it reminded me of my younger self."
Bella gazed at her gentle mother.
"No one back then could save me. Years passed; I thought I'd grown numb to it all..."
The countess shut her eyes for a moment, then clasped each of their hands in hers.
"Seeing you two stirs up those old grievances. Suddenly, I want to give that man a good thrashing."
"M-Mom..?"
Her pumpkin-hued eyes—matching Bella's—flared with fierce intensity.
"I should've bolted like you two. But I hesitated, and before I knew it, everything was done."
Softening back to tenderness, she linked their hands and pointed to a hidden space in the corner.
"This leads to the basement passage to the Gates of the Underworld."
The countess refused to let her daughter tread the same path.
"My dearest daughter."
As Bella turned to head underground with the angel, the countess called from behind in a loving voice—perhaps their last farewell.
"The most important thing is your heart. No matter what nonsense your father spouts, it can never justify ignoring your true feelings. Understood, Bella?"
Bella spun around at her mother's warm words and rushed back to her.
She buried herself in her embrace like a child.
"Just... a little longer, Mom... let me hold on a bit more.."
"My, my, when did you get so clingy?"
She was set to flee hell forever.
The thought of never seeing her mother again made Bella's tears threaten to spill.
"Enough now. I hear a commotion outside."
"No... I want more time with you, Mom.."
"You have your love waiting."
With those comforting pats on her back, Bella fought back her tears and pulled away.
"I-I'll live well. Really healthy and happy... and I'll come back someday."
"I know. Now hurry."
"Aw... I'm your only daughter, you know.."
The countess planted a quick kiss on her forehead and nudged her toward Rael.
"If you dare make my daughter shed tears carelessly, I'll clip those wings myself, heavenly one."
"Yes. I'll make her happy."
"Good. That's all I ask. Now go."
"Mom..!!"
Knock knock.
Their heartfelt goodbye was cut short by the count's knocking at the wife's door.
"Live happily."
The countess bid them farewell one last time as they vanished down the underground passage, then opened the door.
"What is it?"
"Wife, where'd that bastard go?"
"Ah~ I tried talking him down... but they bolted that way."
She feigned regret and pointed out the window.
"Tch, all of you, follow me. Lock down the castle exterior—they're trapped rats now!!"
As the count stormed off on her word, the countess secretly curved her lips upward and murmured to herself.
"Ah, youth. An elopement for love—how utterly beautiful."