Chapter 2. Demona
Chapter 2. Demona
"Please know your place."
People burst into laughter.
Angela did not laugh along, maintaining a look of pathetic disdain.
Richel took a step back.
His face turned cold with shock.
His eyes wandered vacantly.
Only after seeing him unable to even erase his shame did Angela realize she had gone too far.
"Why don't you eat before you leave?"
"......."
She spoke out of guilt, but her tone was far from affectionate.
Even though he dared to leave without even answering her invitation, rather than feeling Richel was being arrogant as she usually did, an urgent alarm sounded in Angela's mind that something was terribly wrong.
Looking back, she should have followed him no matter what at that moment.
However, this arrogant beauty hated humbling herself before Richel.
Furthermore, because it was a party celebrating her, it was difficult to leave.
In the end, she spent the day drinking moderately with the people.
For some reason, no matter how much she drank, she didn't get drunk, and her worry only grew larger.
The banquet continued for several days, and consequently, Richel was not seen for several days either.
Angela, who had thought he would show up on his own at least once, finally had to admit that something was wrong.
"Where's Richel? Has anyone seen him?"
"Why care about a guy like that? Ah! Because of that gem? Ha, Angela. Like you said, how could a beggar like him get such a big gem? He must have stolen it or sold his soul to Demons."
"What?"
For the first time, Angela flew into a rage for Richel's sake.
"What do you know about Richel to run your mouth like that?!"
"Why are you being like this? I just...."
"Just because I hung out with you a few times, do you dare think you're better than Richel? Know your place!"
Angela spoke to the men around her more coldly than ever before.
"You guys are nothing more than good-for-nothing slackers to eat meals or stroll the streets with when I'm bored. If I were to marry, of course I'd marry a diligent man like Richel!"
"Ah? Is that so? Is that why you brought us around to show off in front of him like that? You threw every insult imaginable at him recently, and now you're acting like a childhood friend with a long-time crush?"
"Shut up, I'm leaving. Drink and play among yourselves."
"Do you know this? That guy Richel fell sick after getting dumped by you and is on the verge of death. All because of the insults he took from you."
"Richel is sick?!"
"It's not just sick, he's in critical condition."
She had only thought he would be in a daze from shock; she had no idea his life was hanging in the balance.
Angela hurriedly headed to Richel's house.
Befitting her skills as a Paladin Order apprentice, she could see Richel's house and its interior from afar.
The poor Richel lacked bricks, so he had been practically forced to leave a large open window.
Inside that large window, she saw Richel shivering uncontrollably from chills and Demona nursing him.
"That sly vixen...!"
Sparks flew from her eyes.
However, the conversation between the two carried on the wind made Angela fearful.
"What did I tell you! I told you that if you failed, you would die! A red gem made from a heart can only be created once in a lifetime, and if rejected, there is only death!"
"But... my heart still loves Angela...."
A heart? It was a heart? That gem?
No wonder it was so brilliant and beautiful... It was a terrifying truth.
"Wake up from your dream. That Paladin Order apprentice is far too pretty and successful to even spare a glance at a man like you."
No! Don't do that!
I love him more than anyone!
I was going to give half my life to him anyway, so I was just having a little fun before that!
"Still... just one last time... to confess to Angela...."
Look, Richel loves Angela too.
He said he would confess once again.
Angela quickened her pace.
To quickly accept his confession.
This time, let's apologize first as a special exception.
Even looking back on it herself, she had been too harsh.
"You were already rejected. Did you think a carved-out heart would get a second chance? Your love failed. Don't you remember what she said? She told you that you didn't suit her and to know your place."
No! I just said that to tease him!
She tried to raise her voice to refute it, but before she knew it, Angela was running and so out of breath that she couldn't.
"Ah...."
At Demona's decisive blow, Richel burst into tears he had been holding back.
The sound of his sorrowful sobbing made Angela's heart sink and rang in her ears.
"If I... had been a bit more handsome, would it have been okay?"
No.
You are enough just as you are right now.
She was not a fool swayed by appearances.
She was a woman who fell for your caring personality.
"If I had been smarter, and instead of stupidly doing manual labor to save money, I had earned a lot of money in a better way, would Angela have seen me differently?"
No.
Material things were something she intended to handle anyway.
Was she not already an apprentice in the Paladin Order?
Angela originally intended to keep Richel at home and have him support her.
"Because I... because I'm... worthless...."
Tears poured down endlessly.
Those trickling tears fell onto the heart Richel was clutching.
Chijik, chijijik
The red light of the heart began to fade away gradually.
"Heok...! Heok...!"
It was strange.
Even though she was running like crazy, she couldn't reach Richel's house.
It was as if she were running in place.
"Poor Richel. I admit that Angela is an attractive woman. But look. What's the point of loving a woman who doesn't have a single shred of feeling for you?"
What are you talking about, Demona?
Who are you to speak like that?
"Richel, that woman dislikes you. If a man she dislikes continues to love her, it will be hard for her too. So please let her go now."
No, that's not true!
"Instead, you have me, Richel. To be honest, I've liked you for a long time."
Don't do that, you sly vixen!
"Angela says you look ordinary, but I think your warm eye smile is the coolest. Angela says you're poor and nothing special, but I covet your single-minded devotion so very much."
The heart was turning almost entirely gray.
His tear-soaked eyes looked at Demona with great effort.
Matching his eye level, Demona gave a soft smile.
"I've been looking for a man who would love me unchangeably like you for a long time."
Black wings began to sprout from Demona's back.
"Listen, Richel. Demons are just lonely beings. Lonely beings that want to be loved. We harmed humans who were hostile to us because we were scared, but what's even scarier than that is loneliness."
"No!"
Finally, a voice came out of Angela's mouth.
As Richel flinched and tried to turn his head, Demona forcibly grabbed his head.
"Richel! I want your love! That's all I need. No, if I have that, I'll be happy for the rest of my life. Please give it to me."
"Get away from Richel! Get away, you devil!"
"I'm different from Angela. Who took care of you until now while you were dying after your only chance was kicked away? But I even loved that time. Because they were moments of being with the one I love. But what about Angela? Would that woman really care for you like this?"
"I will care for him. I will! From now on, solely for Richel...!"
"Richel, look at me. Look into my eyes. I'm different from Angela. She looked at you with contempt, but my eyes want to hold only you. Just that alone makes me happy."
"No. I never looked at you like that, Richel!"
"Angela doesn't need you. She has never even gone on a single date with you. But I will stay by your side for the rest of my life."
"Demona!!!!"
"Surely you, who knows sincere love, wouldn't give me the pain of heartbreak, right? If so, I will die right here following you."
At those words, Richel's tears stopped.
And the heart began to shine again.
That light was red yet black.
"Ah-! Richel! If eternity exists, it must be our love."
The Demon reached out and gently stroked his cheek.
Richel did not shy away from her touch.
"Can you feel it? My love."
"Richel, no!!!!!"
Leaving the screaming Angela behind, Richel gave a very slight nod.
In that moment, Demona was filled with ecstasy.
And staring straight at Angela, she smirked.
"From now on, this man loves me, not you."
"Don't make me laugh! Richel... Richel...! Please look over here!"
"Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!"
The sky was covered in darkness.
Feeling Demona's touch, Richel comfortably closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Angela fell to her knees and begged the Demon.
"Please give him back...!"
"You threw him away! You neglected him! You practically handed him over to me!"
"I won't do it again... I know. I knew it all along. That Richel is a really good man. That there's no better husband material than him!"
"I think so too."
The devil moistened her lips with her tongue.
"That's why I waited for so long."
Demona embraced Richel in her arms and wrapped him in her black wings.
Darkness drenched over them.
"Say goodbye. To the best man who could have been yours."
"Richeeeeeeellll-!!!!!"
They vanished.
As if there had been nothing there in the first place.
By the time the villagers who witnessed the dark sky reported it to the church and the Paladin Order arrived, Angela, who was slated to become an apprentice, was crying tears of blood and wailing.
It was difficult to understand her words, but after much effort, it was revealed to be screams that a Demon had enticed away the childhood friend she loved.
"What shall we do?"
When the paladin asked, the cardinal stroked his beard and smiled.
"Take her and turn her into a hunting dog. Demona is a high Demon of the Second Hierarchy."
This is the beginning of high Demon Demona, who was once the most cruel but 'became quiet after gaining her beloved Richel', and paladin Angela, who 'became the most cruel after losing her beloved Richel' due to her own mistake.