Encounter with the Demon (3)
Child. What on earth are you thinking?
‘What else? I’m trying to catch that demon who nearly ruined my plans.’
But what does that have to do with you and the girl having to suffer such one-sided violence from them?
Verdandi had been in a foul mood since earlier.
Not only had she been thrown into prison alongside Erin, but she’d had to watch helplessly as the knights blocked them from taking Erin away and then beat Eunhyeon senseless in the process.
His eyelids were badly swollen, his mouth was full of blood, and his jaw was twisted from the sheer volume of blows. On top of his already precarious physical state—drained of vitality by the gumiho—Eunhyeon was accumulating even more damage.
‘If we’d run in that state, Erin’s name would’ve gone straight to the royals. If the royal guard knights responded to the report and caught us, they’d have subjected her to torture-like interrogation, forced a confession, and wrapped up the case. I had to stop that no matter what.’
To achieve that, Eunhyeon had stubbornly insisted on sharing a solitary cell with Erin, entering this place and blocking the royal guards with his own body without resistance to keep them from taking her.
I’ve never allowed a method like this before.
‘Goddess. No matter what method I choose, you promised to support my decisions.’
But… child. I said that because I wanted you to suffer no more pain. This, however…
Verdandi felt utterly powerless watching Eunhyeon take the one-sided beating, which left her with a displeased expression.
‘Goddess. Physical pain is neither more nor less than pain to me. But mental pain is different.’
Despair, sorrow, rage—various emotions that shatter the mind.
It was possible to drive someone mad through physical sensations like pain, but Eunhyeon was an exception.
He’d experienced flesh being torn off, limbs severed, and one eye seared by fire.
Having endured countless agonies, he’d grown accustomed to the ‘familiarity’ of it. For him, the pain from physical damage was a worthless sensation he could restore to normal at any time.
That was why he placed no value on his own body.
Even if his face was smashed and turned into a bloody pulp, he accepted it calmly.
He didn’t rage at those who’d ruined his face.
Verdandi murmured with a sad face.
Am I… too late? No more for the child…
‘No, Goddess. This is my first step. A journey to seize the ending and conclusion I want as myself, not as an extra.’
Yes… Even if it’s too late, as long as the child can push through with what he wants and grasp happiness in the end.
Verdandi gave a bittersweet smile and gently embraced Eunhyeon’s head.
But I can’t bear to see the child like that anymore. When will you restore those wounds?
It would be a bit tiring, but using one of the goddess’s authorities Verdandi had bestowed—time reversal—made turning these wounds as if they never happened a simple task.
‘Not right now. If I use an authority here to revert the wounds, too many people will notice me. I’ve decided not to hide anymore, but it’s still too soon. I’ll revert them soon, watching for the right moment.’
I see. Understood.
Verdandi nodded reluctantly.
“So? What evidence do you have that the girl behind you isn’t the culprit in the string of noble assaults happening in Fernin?”
Walter Orsius, captain of the Cracir Knights, glared at Eunhyeon with extreme displeasure.
A man in a battered state, sitting in the solitary cell beyond the iron bars, had forced him—the captain—to step into this dank prison.
It was even more irritating that this wasn’t a noble of their kingdom, nor even a citizen, but a foreigner close to a commoner.
Yet the matter was serious, and since it had come to light that Eunhyeon was Iliana Kenifer’s man, they couldn’t ignore the information he offered.
If it were revealed that he was the ‘witch’s lover,’ they might have to release him immediately, grovel, and beg forgiveness.
But Eunhyeon didn’t reveal that. Even with his hands bound behind his back and imprisoned, his demeanor showed no trace of anxiety or fear—he was utterly composed.
His confident attitude, from whatever source, only grated more.
“Ugh…”
Overwhelmed by Walter’s intense glare, Erin shrank behind Eunhyeon, huddling her body.
“First, the method of attack differs.”
“Method? All victims had their mana drained from their bodies, along with so much nutrition that their bony frames were visible. You’re the same. I’m rather wondering how you endured without losing consciousness like the others.”
“That’s because I resisted the demon enough to maintain consciousness. In the end, all my mana was taken, but not everything to the point of blackout.”
The logic didn’t hold. Something was off.
Walter frowned with those thoughts, but since the culprit’s exact powers and methods were unclear, he couldn’t properly refute and let Eunhyeon’s words stand for now.
“The difference in attack method I mean is how the victims were assaulted. All three prior victims were attacked alone at night, leaving no witnesses. But the assault on young Lord Armitas wasn’t even full midnight, and it left two male students as witnesses. Does that not strike you as odd at all?”
“But those male students reported seeing the girl behind you grab young Lord Armitas by the throat with one hand, lift him with immense strength, and drain everything from his body just like the other victims.”
“M-Me…?”
Suddenly singled out, Erin’s eyes widened in shock as she countered.
Walter and the other royal guards stared coldly at the scene.
As suspicion focused on her, Erin flinched, shoulders jerking, and desperately defended herself.
“I-I’ve never done that! After… that guy hit me and I lost consciousness, I don’t remember anything…”
“Hit? By the young lord?”
“Y-Yes…”
The memory resurfaced, and Erin’s face darkened rapidly as she began to sob.
“Hic, sniff.”
Suddenly overwhelmed by sorrow throughout her body, and with Ashton gone but Eunhyeon at her side, her chest swelled, tears streaming down.
“Hyeon… Hyeon, I was really scared…”
“I know. It’s okay now.”
“……”
The knights and Walter all wore expressions of utter confusion watching Erin lean on Eunhyeon’s back, crying like a child whining to her parents.
From their perspective—unaware that Ashton had harbored dark intentions toward Erin, bribed Aiter male students to kidnap her, and dragged her to the abandoned warehouse for indiscriminate assault—it was only natural.
Besides, the girl now seemed like a frail 17-year-old victim caught up innocently.
“Do you really think this child has the ability to assault you and four nobles including young Lord Ashton?”
“……”
The sight of the endlessly fragile girl leaning on Eunhyeon, whining and crying to him like a child to her parents, didn’t seem like acting at all.
Rather, clinging to him, craving affection and comfort with her whole body, she looked even younger than 17—childlike in mentality.
“Captain Walter of Cracir said you mobilized your men after those two male students’ report.”
“That’s right.”
“There, I saw a demon disguised as ‘Erin.’”
“What?”
Eunhyeon explained how he’d ended up at the warehouse.
At the request of Riod, Artia’s captain, he’d been investigating independently, discovered commonalities among victims, traced Ashton’s actions matching those traits, found the warehouse, witnessed a figure resembling Erin draining his vitality, and intervened.
Of course, it was a story laced with on-the-spot lies to appear maximally truthful, but Walter and the royal guards found no contradictions and fell silent.
“If that’s true, it does make the two students’ report to Cracir somewhat credible.”
“Marquis Olivion had already requested help from the Black Witch…”
“The foe is a demon that manipulates minds to show illusions and drains vitality through them. Something this scale is simple for it.”
Naturally, he pinned even the gumiho’s crimes via Erin’s body onto the succubus.
“Hmmm.”
“All I can offer is information and this girl’s release. If you fail to catch the demon or my info proves wrong, you can leave me here as insurance.”
Eunhyeon’s nonchalant offer of his own safety and confident attitude were bizarre, but the proposal itself wasn’t bad.
Walter hesitated to decide, but that didn’t last long.
“Tell me the demon’s info and countermeasures first.”
“I’ve prepared countermeasures to some extent.”
“What are they?”
“This girl will catch that demon.”
““““What?””””
All four royal guards gawked blankly, unable to comprehend.
“Uh…?”
Erin, singled out as the key to the countermeasure, let out a shrill sound as she stared at Eunhyeon. Realizing his seriousness, her face paled.
“N-No way…”
Erin shook her head desperately.
“I can’t. Hyeon. Let me stay instead! I’ll stay, you catch that demon you call me, and come save me…”
“Erin.”
“Eek…”
“Have I ever asked you to do the impossible?”
“No…”
Erin answered.
Eunhyeon had given her grueling tasks, but never anything impossible.
Over time, those steady efforts piled up as nourishment for her growth.
Erin knew that, and from the moment she realized it, she followed Eunhyeon’s words without rebellion.
“You can do it. I guarantee it, so don’t worry.”
“But it’s a demon—how could I…”
“I’ve prepared people to help you. You think I’d make you fight a demon alone? You’re misunderstanding. You’re not at that level yet. Not by a long shot.”
“Ugh… Still, shouldn’t you encourage me in a situation like this?”
“If you wanted encouragement or praise, you shouldn’t have gotten kidnapped. Thinking about it, this is kinda your fault. Once this is over, I’ll up your training volume.”
“You’re too much!”
At the mere mention of increased training, Erin’s face crumpled.
“Erin, remember what I said before? Don’t doubt anything, just trust and follow me. I said I’d pave the way for you.”
“Yeah…”
“You said you wanted to tell your brother someday that you’re okay now, that you can do it alone.”
“Yeah.”
“This is the first step toward that. Trust me.”
“Ah…”
Walter, displeased by their private conversation, scowled at Eunhyeon and interrupted.
“I haven’t agreed to release the girl or adopt your method.”
“Ah, about that. I don’t really need Captain Walter’s opinion anyway.”
“What?”
“I accept the proposal.”
“Huh? Uh…?”
“…We greet Your Highness the Princess.”
Ges turned at the refined woman’s voice, recognized its owner, and froze in shock, speechless.
Delrn tensed and bowed immediately.
Yuria Pernias—a member of the Pernias royal family, the kingdom’s core they were sworn to protect—had personally come to the prison, escorted by Alex as her guard.
‘Why is Princess Yuria here? Surely not for that man?’
Delrn glanced suspiciously at Eunhyeon in the cell, then addressed Yuria.
“May I ask the reason for Your Highness’s visit here?”
“Must I explain every detail to you?”
“This is a place to hold heinous criminals who disturb the kingdom’s peace. It’s quite dangerous for Your Highness. Knowing it’s impertinent, forgive my disloyalty in asking.”
“Heinous criminals…”
Yuria glanced at Eunhyeon’s bruised face and smirked.
“The heinous ones seem to be you lot, who inflicted such barbaric violence—not the criminals.”
“……”
Walter shot a glare at Ges, the culprit behind Eunhyeon’s face, who flinched and bowed hastily.
“S-Sorry!”
“I happen to have a great connection in this kingdom. And they’ve arrived right on time.”
“……”
After a brief glare at Eunhyeon, Yuria sighed and smiled faintly at him.
“Release that child.”
“Pardon?”
“Release them.”
“Y-Yes!”
“As expected of someone who knows the kingdom’s princess personally—things get so convenient.”
Hearing that, Walter realized Eunhyeon had been stalling until Yuria arrived. He widened his eyes and glared.
“Hyeon…”
“Follow Alex. He’ll explain roughly.”
“But…”
“Trust me. I trust you. Trust yourself too.”
“I’ll… try.”
The royal guards, including Walter, had no choice but to release Erin and let Alex take her from the prison.
“I’ll report this to Queen Regent Dianne.”
“Ah, do whatever.”
“……”
As everyone left, Yuria’s tone shifted from cultured etiquette to casual indifference, irking Walter as he exited last.
“This settles the debt from back then.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
“And between us two. Don’t we still have things to talk about?”
“No idea what you mean, but it doesn’t sound good.”
Eunhyeon replied shamelessly with a grin.