Chapter 118: The Weight of what we hide
Zara looked at Noah with her black, emotionless eyes.
"Who said it was Belzebuth?" she asked quietly.
At her question, Noah gave an awkward smile. "Don’t tell it’s not him, please. That would be too embarrassing after everything I just said." He said in a slightly embarrassing tone.
For the first ti since the incident with Neko, Zara smiled—just slightly. She found this Noah more...human and relatable.
"It’s him," she confird, amusent flickering in her voice. "I just wanted to give you a taste of what you always do to the rest of us."
[Zara’s affection for you has reached 35%.]
After so much effort, her affection had risen by 5%. A small increase—but progress nonetheless.
Noah chuckled softly. "I figured it was him. But... what exactly did he do to you? I’m still in the dark here."
He leaned forward, voice softer. "And knowing that—it helps understand how to help, how to act."
Zara’s fingers tightened slightly, her hands clenching in her lap. Telling him ant opening herself up completely—revealing the most painful, vulnerable parts of her life. The things that had shaped her into the cold, guarded person she was now.
She trembled faintly at that thought.
She can’t do that.
Noah’s chest tightened at the sight. He didn’t like seeing Zara like this. So without thinking, without hesitation, he stepped forward—and wrapped his arms around her.
"Y-YELP—!"
Zara yelped in shock, her eyes going wide as his arms locked around her. Imdiately, she began to struggle. "You—you—what are you doing?! Let go of right now!!"
Her voice cracked, emotions spilling out unchecked—rare for soone like her. It was chaos inside her chest, and she had no idea how to handle it. Because she had never experienced things like this.
"Shhh..."
Noah gently shushed her, his arms tightening.
"Stop struggling. I’m not letting go... so you may as well calm down and accept it."
His voice was calm, unshakable.
"I didn’t know you were the type to force yourself on won!" Zara snapped, still wriggling in his arms. "Let go, Noah Weaverheart!"
But her strength was nothing compared to his. After several minutes of exhausting herself, Zara finally gave up. She sagged in his arms, stiff but no longer fighting.
Noah smiled softly.
"I don’t know what you’ve been through," he murmured near her ear. "But I can guess it wasn’t easy. And I know you don’t want to talk about it—not because you can’t, but because you’re scared. Scared of reliving it. Scared of showing weakness."
Zara’s body trembled.
"But, Zara... you’re not alone."
Her breath hitched.
"You have Neko. You even have Alice. And you have ."
He smiled gently.
"You might not particularly like right now. But I like you. And I’m not after your affection just for the sake of it."
Many would think Noah was just collecting won for power, for prestige. And yes, there was so truth to that—but it was never just that. Like his system reminded him, staying with a woman he didn’t care about would eventually beco unbearable.
Every woman he pursued—he genuinely wanted them. And even if it seed like he neglected them sotis... it was never his choice. He was only one man. He couldn’t be everywhere at once.
A problem he had to solve eventually.
But for now—
"So don’t shut yourself off," he whispered gently to Zara "Let yourself be loved."
"Don’t hide behind that power of yours. Because if you keep numbing your feelings... one day, you won’t be able to turn them back on."
"And honestly—that’s dangerous. Humans are creatures of emotion. Without them... what’s left, Zara?"
"You need fear to overco it and grow. You need love to know how to love back and how to appreciate others and yourself. You need courage and determination to face your challenges."
He paused.
"You need emotions to feel alive—not just to be alive."
"So, dear Zara... open yourself to us. You know we won’t disappoint you. Neko won’t. Alice won’t."
"...And I won’t."
His arms tightened, warr, more tender.
And this ti—Zara couldn’t stop herself.
This ti... she didn’t want to.
Her carefully buried emotions erupted.
She broke.
"He took everything from Noah. Everything. And he refuse to give it back."
Tears flooded down her face, her chest heaving with sobs. For the first ti in years, she allowed herself to cry. Hard. Even harder than Neko.
Because she had been holding it all in for far too long.
Noah simply held her. No words. Just presence. Just the silent promise:
I’m here. So cry. Let it out.
And Zara did. Not for an hour.
For the entire night.
Truly—burying your feelings was dangerous. Because when you finally reach your limit... you break beneath the weight of everything you tried to ignore.
A dangerous, shattering thing.
⸻
anwhile—
In a distant chamber, Isac and Albert stood before a throne.
On it sat a man—no, a demon—so bloated the throne itself seed to strain beneath him. His jet-black hair and eyes were unremarkable, but the aura he radiated was anything but ordinary.
Beside him lay a mountain of food, which he devoured as casually as breathing.
"Nom nom nom... How was your journey?" Belzebuth asked between mouthfuls.
Isac and Albert grimaced. Not only was the demon lord’s aura suffocating, but it was nearly impossible to understand him through the nonstop chewing.
Still, Isac forced himself to listen. "It... it went well."
Belzebuth squinted. "Were you supposed to co see ?" He asked. After all he didn’t rember having to et these two lowly humans.
Isac clenched his fists. "We deeply apologize, Demon Lord Belzebuth. But we had no other choice. Our lives are at risk, and we’ve co to ask you to accelerate the process."
He bowed deeply. Not only him, Albert too.
Isac and Albert—the princes of Castria, heir to the human domain throne—bowed deeply, their head almost touching the ground.
Two proud human nobles, bowing before a demon.
Humiliating.
But they didn’t care. Their hearts were set.
They wanted the throne.
And if that ant colluding with demons... with Belzebuth, the most gluttonous and troubleso of all demon lords...
So be it.
"Please," Isac whispered. "Give us power."
"Power to kill that monster."
Belzebuth gazed down at them—and a slow, wicked grin stretched across his face.
What a delicious sight. Two human princes, groveling before him.
He threw his head back—
And laughed.
Loud. Boisterous. Insatiable.
—End of Chapter 118—
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