But He's My Fiancé
"Haa... haa..."
Rifaelle cautiously opened her eyes, exhaling ragged breaths as she took in the scene before her.
"W-What...?"
She must have started sensing something off—not that Clana and I looked terrified, but utterly cold.
"...?"
Then, to confirm her transformation with her own eyes, she glanced down at her body. Now in her vision: purple skin, wings sprouting from her back, and grotesque ruby horns jutting from her head.
"N-No... this can't be..."
She was probably panicking. She had wanted power, sure, but she never imagined her appearance would change too. When her family took pills for power, they only complained of mild pain. So she must have swallowed hers without a second thought.
But the pill the Demon King gave her was special. He had enchanted it to kill anyone who offered their soul to him in a pinch. Rifaelle's, however, also carried a spell to corrupt the consumer.
The Demon King's quirk of wanting to ruin beautiful things must have kicked in. Though it wasn't even necessary—her outer beauty hid an utterly ugly soul.
"This isn't right... this..."
"Live like that forever."
There was no reason to respect something that wasn't even human anymore. I spoke coldly to Rifaelle, who was wildly rolling her eyes at her mutated body.
"This is what you chose, isn't it?"
"Y-You...!"
At my words, she sprang up and charged at me. Ruby demonic energy billowed from her hands. Just looking at it made my stomach turn.
-Boom...!
As that thought crossed my mind, Clana's golden mana clashed violently with Rifaelle's ruby energy. Dust clouds and rock fragments exploded around us. In this déjà vu moment, I calmly waited for the dust to settle.
"Why... why...? How...?"
The outcome was obvious. Even with demonic power, she couldn't beat an awakened Clana. Pitting shabby, freshly awakened demonic energy against one of the three special manas—the most destructive one, no less—was idiotic from the start. Maintaining her form after consuming a one-use desperation tool was a miracle in itself.
"Heh... hehehe..."
Staring at her hand burning away under Clana's solar mana, she burst into mad laughter.
-Sizzle...
"It's not over yet... not over... I'll just get stronger and come back..."
Spouting third-rate villain lines, she began emitting ruby energy from her entire body. Useful dialogue—I'll remember it.
"Where do you think you're going...!"
Clana stepped forward toward the fading Rifaelle.
-Thud...!
"Frey?"
But I grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"Frey... do you know...?"
At that moment, Rifaelle's eyes gleamed as she whispered with a chilling smile.
"...there's a way you can survive."
Clana's eyes widened at her words. I could guess what she was getting at, but let's hear it out.
"Take my hand. Come with me..."
"What are you saying?"
"Go there, and like me... offer your soul to the Demon King."
I scowled at that, and she extended her hand toward me.
"Become his slave, and you'll live. If not, just offer your soul. It's not hard! Just a blood oath..."
"T-That's..."
Clana's gaze shook as she stared at me.
"...If you offer your soul to the Demon King, you'll live?"
Her voice trembled as she spoke to me.
"I-If that's true... if it really is..."
"You think that pathetic thing over there can extend my life?"
"Ugh."
She bit her lip at Rifaelle's mocking tone.
"Death ends it all anyway, right? I know your lifespan's less than two years. So..."
Clana's face grew paler by the second.
"...come with me to the Demon King."
Suddenly, her eyes hardened with resolve as she looked at me.
"Is that the only way for you to survive?"
"Frey..."
Soon, she spoke softly.
"I want you to live..."
Tears welled in her golden eyes.
......
"What are you saying, Clana?"
Frey gazed at me with a gentle smile.
"Of course I'll live. Once everything's over, we'll all spend happy days together—walking, traveling, watching shows... hmm, what else? Anyway, we'll do all that. So don't worry..."
That foolish expression annoyed me today. Did he think we didn't know? That we were clueless? His lifespan was only two years, and even if we finished everything, there was no way for him to come back to life?
"What's wrong? Why the long face?"
I couldn't even look at Kania, who had shared senses with him during our time in the Western Continent.
"Miss Kania?"
"How... how are you enduring this pain...?"
She felt it all—the constant agony that wracked his body with every breath. She said even strong curses couldn't match it. His body was dying and forcibly regenerating in real time, causing that torment.
But to Frey, it was just daily life. Irina's reports said he never showed a hint of pain.
"You still don't believe me? I've explained it so many times. The Sun God has a wish-granting power."
Of course, it could be a lie from the Demon God. Or maybe Frey was telling the truth. But Serena dodging our questions, the Demon God's words matching Frey's actions too perfectly... the evidence piling up to make us grieve, anxious, panicked—it was overwhelming.
So Frey wouldn't know. The things happening behind his back.
Kania crying silently, calling his name through the pain she felt vicariously. And yet, modifying the curse that would have inflicted the same on her, redirecting most of it to himself.
Irina delving into dark magic and forbidden arts she despised her whole life, carving away at herself like a madwoman to find ways to extend his life.
And me too. To protect Frey, I've framed his would-be killers and sent them away, or just killed the wicked ones outright. I'm becoming the tyrant I swore never to be.
But we'll never let him know. Just as he hides his pain, we'll hide our efforts.
"What's wrong, Clana? You look pale..."
"......"
Frey asked with worry. A storm of emotions bloomed in my heart.
'Calm down, Clana.'
We might go mad soon. Or maybe we already have.
The soul memories and emotions bursting forth like a dam after the third trial's truth was freed—they've consumed us. Now we can only see Frey.
Thinking of him vanishing in two years tears my soul apart. We'd probably become wrecks or lunatics after.
The "Vacation Bet" happened against that backdrop. To outsiders, it's a sweet rom-com. To those who know, it's desperate madmen clinging to sanity.
If he really vanishes in two years, we'll follow him in death or madness. But he wouldn't want that. He wants us all happy.
Defying that wish by dying or going insane would waste his efforts.
So we made love with the Frey we love enough to give everything, to bear his seed. To leave proof he existed, to remember his face and being forever—that's why we bet.
Of course, it's escapism. Until moments ago, it was the most plausible way to keep him happy and us sane.
"Frey."
But now, things have changed.
"Listen carefully."
If there's a way for him to survive, I'll do anything. Sell the empire, stain my already bloodied hands redder, be remembered as a monster emperor.
I'll save him. That's my sole goal now.
"You can offer my soul instead."
......
"What are you talking about, Clana?"
Frey grabbed her shoulders, flustered.
"You know you don't have to carry everything alone."
Clana met his eyes calmly and began.
"You already have my soul. I've given you everything. So when you offer to the Demon King, give mine instead of yours."
Her face somehow looked brighter.
"Pretend it's yours and offer mine. Then fake submission, take the life he offers."
"Clana."
"I'm fine. If I fall, you can stop me. Worst case, turn me into a canary or lock me in the underground prison."
"Clana...!"
"I'm not saying offer it right away. Research it first. I won't lose my soul to a trick. Once it's certain, then use mine."
As Frey gripped her shoulders tighter, Clana unleashed her dominance aura.
"This is an order, Frey."
Frey flinched and stepped back cautiously.
'Maybe I can resist corruption. Sure, he'll threaten me with my stolen soul, but whatever—I'll grit my teeth and serve.'
Clana thought, watching him.
'Just get me on the throne somehow. After that, abdicate or get deposed—the oath is fulfilled...'
She gazed at Frey slowly succumbing to her aura.
"I want you to live long, Frey. That's my one wish."
She smiled faintly.
"So... if it's proven true, with solid proof, offer my soul and bow to the Demon King—just for a while."
As the aura's erosion finished, she turned toward Rifaelle.
"...No."
"What?"
"That won't happen, so give up."
Frey's firm voice cut through, shrugging off her dominance aura with his mental fortitude. She halted.
"The only one who can rule over me is you."
"......."
"The only one who can command me as a slave is you, the one I swore eternal loyalty to. I'll serve you until I die."
With that, Frey walked toward Rifaelle.
"Yes... take my hand, Frey! Take it...!"
-Swish...
Frey grasped Rifaelle's hand, her eyes wild with madness.
"Sure, I'll put in a good word with the Demon King as promised. But first... you need taming."
As she babbled excitedly, Frey stared.
-Crackle...!
"Kyaaaaah!"
He infused star mana into her hand.
"Y-You bastard...!"
Seeing hideous scars and burns erupt across her body, Rifaelle lost her mind and thrashed.
"Because of you... Clana lived in hell for over a decade."
Frey gripped her hand tighter, murmuring coldly.
"You should feel the same."
"Aaaah!"
For a while, the courtyard filled with sizzling sounds and rising smoke.
"Ugh."
Frey scowled at the increasingly grotesque Rifaelle. His worsening heart pain.
-Crunch...!
"Heh... hehehe..."
Seizing the moment, Rifaelle infiltrated demonic energy into Frey's arm, fusing it with her hand.
"Clana, my pathetic little sister..."
As Clana desperately reached out, she whispered.
"Your fiancé is mine now..."
-Zap...!
But her whisper didn't finish.
"Kuh...!"
A fan-shaped hidden weapon sliced off her arm holding Frey.
"I don't know who you are, but..."
Clana sighed in relief. Frey glanced indifferently at his severed left arm—wait, no, hers—then turned, eyes widening.
"You're unpleasant."
Serena approached, basket brimming with vegetables, greens, and cooking ingredients, dressed in an apron from who-knows-where.
"...Frey is my fiancé."
Her expression—one Frey had never seen—filled with cold fury.