Chapter 4: Outsider
Nelly felt that today had been packed with a few too many shocking events.
One, the handsome, expressionless hero had confessed to her.
Two, this hero was the infamous Demon King of Wildia.
Three, His Majesty the Demon King was now holding her fingertips in his mouth.
She couldn’t help but wonder if her 99 normal playthroughs had somehow unlocked a hidden, embarrassing storyline in this game world.
And that wasn’t all. The handsome, black-haired, red-eyed demon king even stuck out his tongue and lightly licked the pad of her finger.
Nelly trembled, trying to pull her hand back, but he held her wrist, stopping any further movement. Karsus pressed his lips together and lowered his eyes to look at her. His irises were like molten rubies, so bright and hot that to meet their gaze unprepared was like falling into a torrent of lava with nothing to hold onto.
She felt her entire heart tremble.
“Your finger was dirty.” Karsus’s words were as composed as ever, but the slight curve of his lips betrayed his inner satisfaction, like a cat that had successfully stolen a treat.
Nelly shivered at his words, a bone-deep chill running down her spine—on the pad of her finger were the traces of maple sap she had left when wiping away the words “Save us.” She stole a glance at him, praying he wouldn’t think anything of it, and silently worked her hand free. But the sensation lingered vividly on her fingertips, and she couldn’t help but hide her hand behind her back.
A fine crumb of pale yellow cheese clung to the corner of Karsus’s lips. He looked at her pointedly, his tongue darting out to lightly lick it away. Though he remained expressionless, the gesture exuded a sense of wanting more. Nelly only dared a fleeting glance before looking away, yet she could still feel her face flush and her heart pound.
Compared to the shock of this deadpan boy’s sudden change in character, the fact that Hero No. 100 was the Demon King seemed a little easier to accept.
Nelly cleared her throat and asked softly with her eyes downcast, “Why?”
Her question was extremely vague, but Karsus had always been perceptive. His eyes flickered, clearly understanding the many doubts contained within that single word.
He looked down for a moment before speaking slowly, choosing his words with care. “I only love Nelly.” As he spoke, he cautiously observed Nelly’s reaction from under his lashes, adding, “From a long, long time ago, I’ve only loved you.”
Nelly’s shoulders hunched, and her voice was a little hoarse. “A long, long time ago?”
Karsus bit his lip, a boyish look of uncertainty flashing across his face as if he were struggling to explain. He finally answered succinctly, “After being killed by the heroes, I don’t actually die.”
Because he doesn’t truly die, he doesn’t forget.
Being confessed to multiple times by such a person brought Nelly no joy, only a deeper fear. She didn’t dare calculate just when Karsus had set his sights on her. The thought that she had set foot in this Demon’s Lair dozens of times before, completely oblivious to the Demon King’s nature, sent a chill through her heart.
Back in the main hall, Nelly had been on the verge of telling Karsus that she just wanted to leave this world and go home. But in this situation, His Majesty the Demon King would surely not let her go so easily. As she thought this, her fingers, crossed on her lap, gripped her skirt tightly. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Karsus took in her expression. He blinked his long lashes several times, as if his eyes had been stung by a cold wind, and suddenly appeared somewhat melancholic. He leaned in and said clumsily, “Don’t be afraid.”
Nelly took a deep breath and looked up at him, her blue eyes clear and fearless. “I’m not afraid.” She even managed to squeeze out a smile. “Can you show me around your home, Kal?”
The black-haired young man’s expression lit up at her words. He didn’t speak, only nodding, but it was clear he was very happy.
Nelly turned her head to look at the snow on the continuous mountain range outside the floor-to-ceiling window. The speck of white reflected in her eyes seemed cold and clear. She didn’t like to lie, but in order to go home, she had to swallow her fear, no matter how terrified she was.
The most urgent task was to find a way to reconnect with the system; she hoped that a tour of the Demon’s Lair might yield some results.
With this thought in her mind, when Karsus once again took her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she only hesitated for a moment before letting him.
From the outside, the Demon’s Lair was vast and magnificent, with countless towers and balconies. But after walking with Karsus for a short while, Nelly discovered that it wasn’t just her second-floor room; the rest of the lair’s furnishings were so simple it was almost unbelievable, not matching the image of the extravagant and decadent Demon King described by the people of Wildia in the slightest.
After passing through long corridors of black and white, touring a completely empty white ballroom, peeking into a pitch-black armory, and visiting one unoccupied, nearly identical room after another, Nelly grew anxious. The tour was proving useless, and the connection to the system remained severed. As the dark red sky slowly sank into a deeper black, it seemed she would have to spend the night in the Demon’s Lair.
Sensing Nelly’s mood, Karsus wordlessly quickened his pace. He led her through a white corridor lit by crystal lamps, pushed open a stone door, and then stepped aside, revealing the scene outside.
Nelly looked out the door and froze.
Somehow, they had reached the very top of the Demon’s Lair. Beyond the door was a vast, open space planted with nothing but white roses.
Vast fields of pure white flowers bloomed with wild abandon. The air was filled with a fragrance so thick it was almost tangible, yet it wasn’t overpowering. Instead, it was intoxicating. The wind at this height was fierce, but the delicate roses swayed and danced fearlessly, causing waves of scent to drift from near and far, at times rich, at times faint, like a hand gently plucking at one’s heartstrings.
A pale half-moon emerged from behind the blood-red clouds. In its shifting light, the petals in the bright spots were nearly as translucent as seashells, while in the shadows, the tips of the white petals held a faint bluish-purple hue.
When Nelly came to her senses, Karsus had turned back to face her. The moonlight carved his features into a soft, ivory glow, and the fire shimmering in his eyes looked as if it could scorch this field of white roses into a brilliant red. He took a step closer, and with a flick of his wrist, a delicate flower appeared between two of his fingers. He tucked the rose into Nelly’s hair, his fingers brushing against the skin of her temple, still just as cool.
Once again, with a posture so humble it bordered on subservient, he kissed the back of her hand.
A sea of flowers under the moon, a handsome young man offering a flower and a kiss to her hand with deep affection—even the most cold-hearted person would have to pause before scoffing.
But Nelly jumped in shock.
Just a moment ago, she had clearly heard the system’s connection prompt in her ear.
She carefully studied Karsus’s expression, and only relaxed slightly when she was sure he couldn’t hear the system’s sounds. But with Karsus right there, she couldn’t possibly open the system interface immediately. She would have to find a chance to come back here. She wanted to probe for more information, but her mouth felt dry, and her voice, a mix of real and feigned enchantment, was unsteady. “Where… where is this?”
Karsus seemed to smile. “The Moonlight Garden.”
He then looked down, as if embarrassed. “If Nelly likes it, we can come here every day.”
A mountain wind blew past, and Nelly felt a little cold, her shoulders trembling. Karsus used this as an opportunity to step closer, taking off his cape and draping it over her.
It wasn’t the red cape of a novice hero’s gear, but the heavy, black woolen cape exclusive to the Demon King. It was heavy on her shoulders, like being hugged from behind.
“It’s time for dinner.” His voice was muffled through the cape, softening his slightly cool tone.
Nelly, naturally, had no appetite. “I’m… not hungry.” She stared at the tips of her shoes. “I’m a little tired.”
Karsus nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. The scenery flickered, and in an instant, they were back in the black and white marble corridor.
Nelly glanced back at the torch by the door, then lowered her head and said softly, “Well then…”
“Goodnight, Nelly.”
This time, Karsus made no extra moves, only watching her quietly. The firelight reflected in his equally fiery red eyes, making them doubly scorching.
Seared by his gaze, Nelly said a flustered “goodnight” and slipped into her room. Leaning against the door, she touched her cheeks; they were burning hot. With a complicated mix of feelings, she placed the cape on an armchair, collapsed onto the large bed, and covered her face as she rolled over. Surprisingly, she fell asleep quickly.
She must have had a dream, but she couldn’t remember any of it when she woke up.
The sky was just beginning to lighten. Nelly stared at the view outside the window for a moment, then quickly got out of bed, grabbed the cape, and tiptoed out of the room. Following her memory from the day before, she managed not to get lost and successfully found the Moonlight Garden.
After a quick look around to make sure no one was there, Nelly swiftly opened the system interface and connected to the main control terminal.
“Guide No. 1028, welcome back. May I…”
Before the welcome message could finish, Nelly cut it off impatiently. “What is going on! This time the hero is the Demon King! I’m trapped in the Demon’s Lair and can’t get out. How can I go home?”
The system was silent for a moment before a calm, female voice replied, “Guide No. 1028, your mission is to kill the Demon King 100 times. In other words, even without a hero, as long as the mission condition is met, you can return to your original world.”
“What happens if I fail?”
“Your previous 99 records will be voided, and you will have to start over.”
Nelly clenched her fists, her voice dry. “What… what happens if I die?”
The reply was a moment of silence.
She never got the system’s answer, because at that very moment, with a crisp sound, the system interface once again scrolled with a screen full of bright red “CONNECTION INTERRUPTED.”
Nelly turned in horror, only to see Karsus approaching step by step, his red eyes, half-hidden in the shadow of his bangs, looking as if they were about to burst into flame.