Chapter 24: Obsession
“I am willing to give up my humanity for you, accept the power of a demon, and become a half-demon.”
This was the most steadfast vow a demon and a human could share.
Karsus was silent upon hearing her words, staring at her without blinking, his gaze so intense it seemed it could burn her away. He called her name in a hoarse voice, caressed her cheek, and then held her in his arms. His strength was perfectly balanced—a fraction more and he seemed to fear he would hurt her; a fraction less and it would fail to convey the powerful tremor in his heart.
He picked her up, carried her through the courtyard of blooming roses, his pace quickening until finally, he simply spread his wings and flew straight into the bedroom where gossamer curtains danced.
Nelly laughed softly, her arms around his neck. “Will I have wings too? It sounds so strange saying it out loud.”
Karsus gave her a look from under his lashes, the smile on his lips both indulgent and tender. “As long as you want them, you will have them.”
She leaned back against the headboard, drawing her knees toward her body, her fingers clutching the hem of her skirt. Her voice was somewhat tense. “What should I do?”
He didn’t answer. Bracing one hand against the wall, he leaned in close, his gaze slowly traveling down from her face. He suddenly seemed abashed, turning his face away stiffly. “Un… unbutton your collar.”
Nelly’s face felt hot as well. She gave a dazed, soft assent, raising a hand to the end of her necktie and untying it with a pull. Her fingertips moved slowly toward the buttons, as if it took a great deal of effort. She paused several times before finally undoing the first one.
She took a deep breath, her movements quickening slightly as the second button came free.
Karsus’s gaze seemed to sear the small patch of exposed skin. Nelly’s eyelashes fluttered, and she drew her shoulders in slightly, making the shadows in the hollows of her collarbones more pronounced. Further down, like a valley in a field of snow, the contours of light and shadow were ambiguous and alluring.
The demon king who looked like a young boy gave a soft cough and, with utter bashfulness, undid the third button for her. Then, he explained in a rushed and flustered voice, “Your heart… I need to inject power into your heart, and then seal it.”
His cool fingertips brushed against her skin, stopping on her chest, slightly to the left.
Karsus gazed into Nelly’s eyes and said softly, “It will hurt a little.”
Nelly bit her lower lip and turned her head to look at him askance. “I… I know… Just get it over with…”
The black-haired young man closed his eyes, took out a dagger, and cut his finger. A bead of blood rolled from his marble-like fingertip and fell onto her body. The crimson marks linked together to form a seal, and an incantation gave the pattern life, carving it deep into her flesh and bone.
Starting from her chest, a ball of the most scorching yet coldest flame forced its way into her blood vessels, spreading slowly and domineeringly throughout her body. There was a dull, burning pain at the site of the seal, but it was nothing compared to the agony of the demonic power coursing through her. Her temples throbbed, her heartbeat grew faster and faster, so loud that it drowned out all other sounds in her ears.
Nelly curled up, trying to bite her lip to suppress a low moan. But Karsus held her tightly, his fingertip stopping her lips from moving, parting her clenched, trembling teeth, and letting her bite down. He whispered nonchalantly in her ear, “I will share this pain with you.”
The tide-like pain came and went, and finally, in his embrace and comfort, it gradually faded away.
Nelly opened her eyes. Dust particles danced in the morning light. She was disoriented for a moment, then slowly turned her head. The black-haired young man was sleeping peacefully beside her, his delicate brows slightly furrowed in his sleep.
She couldn’t help but reach out and smooth his brow. But Karsus was a light sleeper. His lashes trembled, and he opened his eyes, his gaze hazy as he looked at her. They were both stunned for a moment, then they smiled at the same time.
Nelly saw his expression suddenly freeze and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in confusion. “What’s wrong?”
Karsus gave a smile that could be called cunning and lowered his eyelids. “It’s nothing.”
She knew him well enough to know that there wasn’t a shred of sincerity in those three words. She suddenly sat up and felt a soft rustling sound behind her. A gentle breeze from both sides brought a slowly falling feather.
Nelly was stunned and numbly reached out to feel her back. Smooth, warm wings were indeed spread out behind her. Her hand belatedly moved to her head and, without a doubt, touched a pointed horn.
At that moment, Karsus also sat up. With a wave of his hand, a mercury mirror appeared out of thin air, reflecting her appearance.
A golden ring had appeared at the edge of her blue irises, horns had grown from her hair, and a pair of white wings, sharper and more slender in outline than Karsus’s, were spread out behind her. Nelly stared at the unfamiliar figure in the mirror, silent for a long time.
In this ambiguous silence, Karsus grew uneasy. The smile on his face faded, and his red eyes dimmed slightly. He looked away.
Nelly suddenly spoke. “A half-demon with white wings… what will the angels think…”
She saw the Demon King’s dazed expression and let out a chuckle. “What are you worried about? I won’t regret it.” She stood on her tiptoes, spun lightly in the air, and her skirt billowed out.
Karsus finally came to his senses, his cheeks slightly red. He wordlessly lowered his gaze to hide his awkwardness, but couldn’t help but steal a glance at her from under his lashes. Nelly met his gaze openly and smiled, pressing her lips together.
“How do I hide this form?”
Faced with Nelly’s question, Karsus, for once, was mischievous and deliberately kept her in suspense, drawing out his words. “Hmm…”
Nelly glared at him and said as fiercely as she could, “Are you hiding something from me, hmm?”
“No,” the morning light fell from behind her, spilling onto Karsus’s face. His ruby-like eyes shone brightly, and his whole face seemed to be glowing. “I just don’t want to tell you for now.”
Nelly was choked by the Demon King’s roguish temper and let out a single, disbelieving syllable. “Huh?”
“You’re very cute like this. I want to look at you a little longer.” Karsus gave his reason with righteous conviction. He watched as Nelly’s face turned completely red and blinked innocently, a look of “I’m just stating a fact” on his face.
“You… if you don’t tell me… I’ll…” Nelly was so embarrassed she started to stutter. She made a gesture as if to fly out the window.
But Karsus reacted quickly, instantly appearing behind her and wrapping his arms around her. He lowered his head and nuzzled her neck, saying softly, “I was teasing you. You’ve just been demonized, so you can’t control yourself for a few days. When necessary, I’ll help you hide it.”
“When necessary?”
“Mhm.” As he said this, he held her shoulders and spun her around to face him. His fingers slid from her shoulder all the way down to the back of her hand, leaving a trail of faint, tingling sensations. He suddenly stepped back and dropped to one knee with a swift, clean motion. “Nelly, will you be my wife, the mistress of Sloth?”
Although it wasn’t the first time she had been suddenly proposed to, Nelly was still taken aback. The wings behind her trembled in alarm, and a few pure white feathers fell. She quickly came to her senses, met Karsus’s gaze, and curved her lips. “I will.”
Nelly felt the wings behind her suddenly disappear. She looked back at the mercury mirror in the air, and the reflection of herself had indeed returned to its human form. Was this what Karsus meant by “when necessary”?
But the Demon King took a step forward and corrected her in a soft voice, “This is the necessary moment.”
Before Nelly could grasp the meaning of his words, the scene before her blurred. She sank into the soft bedding, and before a word could form on her tongue, her lips were sealed by Karsus’s.
“I read in a book that the wedding night is one of the most important moments in a man’s life.” He was smiling, and from his eyes to the line of his jaw, everything was so soft it made one’s heart melt.
Nelly’s breathing was a little ragged. She struggled with her words again. “It’s still daytime…”
The Demon King waved his hand decisively, and a barrier of night spread out. The four walls of the room became a starry sky, the clear, azure canopy so close it seemed within reach, its color as transparent as crystal, breathtakingly beautiful.
Karsus’s breath was already traveling down from her earlobe. His eyes were more brilliant than any star, and one could drown in them with a single glance.
“Nelly, I love you.”
“I love you too.”
From that moment on, half of her heart was home to a demon, and magic flowed in her blood. Every heartbeat was a fulfillment of her vow.
But one day, as Nelly was reading alone in the library, the long-extinguished system interface suddenly popped up. A cold, female voice, ignoring Nelly’s will, stubbornly sounded in her ear:
“Guide No. 1028, please carry out your mission. Otherwise, the world is about to be destroyed.”