Chapter 138. Engagent (2)
From Serena’s pale finger, the crimson ring emitted an ominous gleam.
The blood-red gem, crimson like human blood, stirred an inexplicable sense of unease in anyone who looked at it.
A sinister object received from a demon. There was no way it was an ordinary ring.
It surely contained so kind of wicked magic.
That was what Serena believed.
She stared at the ring with a defeated expression.
Her eyes were filled with anxiety and fear.
“……A shackle.”
When Serena muttered softly, Mapheltan let out a short, derisive laugh.
“It is just an ordinary engagent ring. Hard to believe, I know.”
In truth, the ring was nothing more than a simple ornant. A little—no, in fact, an extrely expensive luxury item.
There was no hidden magical chanism within it.
Of course, Serena could not believe that.
She yanked the ring off her finger.
“T, take it back! This thing!”
Just as she was about to throw it to the floor, her hand froze in midair.
She had heard a voice so chilling that it sent ice through her entire body.
“Do not act rashly.”
Red pupils were fixed steadily on Serena.
Her gaze wavered.
Holding the ring aloft, she stiffened completely.
She could not bring herself to throw it.
She felt instinctively that doing so would bring disaster.
“I, why to …,”
Mapheltan cut her off in a calm tone.
“I will take the gold of the Marcano Family and your Heart-Piercing Eyes. This engagent is the process toward that result. If you refuse the engagent, I will simply achieve the sa outco by other ans. You are a clever woman, so you understand what I am saying.”
To Serena’s ears, his words sounded like this:
———The mont you refuse the engagent, I will devour you and your family in a far more dreadful form.
Serena trembled as she looked at Mapheltan, then lowered her head deeply.
She could no longer et those red eyes.
“Hic… hngh.”
A small sob echoed through the room.
Serena’s sorrow, grief, and despair provided Mapheltan with intense stimulation.
Human negativity was being refined into a delicacy for a demon.
A faint sense of satisfaction spread across Mapheltan’s face.
His crimson eyes glead.
A strange pleasure coursed through his veins, spreading throughout his body.
It was a type of pleasure unfamiliar to him.
Clearly different from the ecstasy he had known before.
“So sorrow has a flavor of its own.”
All negative human emotions brought demons great satisfaction.
If fear provided overwhelming ecstasy, sorrow offered a quiet, lingering pleasure.
Mapheltan was accustod to the “taste of fear.”
By contrast, the “taste of sorrow” was new to him.
If he had to compare preferences—Mapheltan shook his head sharply.
“No. What am I thinking?”
If he imrsed himself any further, he felt he might awaken to a new stimulation.
He imdiately raked his fingernails across his own chest.
Black blood stread down.
His reason returned.
Drawing a steady breath, Mapheltan spoke.
“Serena, the choice is entirely yours. I will give you one final grace period. Decide on the engagent by tomorrow morning.”
He turned around and left the reception room.
Left alone, Serena’s quiet sobbing echoed through the room all night long.
***
“Oh, how pitiful. Marrying a demon. Sothing truly ill-fated has happened to Lady Marcano.”
In the great mage’s workshop, Lumina muttered loudly, as if she wanted everyone to hear.
Ilea, who had been researching the mirror-shaped Cursed Scripture alongside her, let out a deep sigh.
“Lady Lumina, please focus on the research instead of mocking others.”
Lumina put on an exaggerated expression.
“Oh my, so you heard everything? Still, Ilea, you seem surprisingly unfazed. The Lord Yohan you adore—or rather, Lord Mapheltan—has found himself a bride.”
Ilea did not like Serena.
No, to be precise, Ilea disliked the fact that Yohan was getting married.
She spoke in an even tone.
“It cannot be helped. All of this is necessary for Mapheltan.”
Lumina pouted.
“How boring. Situations like this are much more fun when people cause a scene.”
In truth, Ilea wanted to ruin the engagent imdiately.
Her possessiveness toward Yohan was provoked every ti she heard the word “engagent.”
But she hid her feelings.
She chose to respect Yohan’s wishes.
She did not want to trouble him over sothing unnecessary.
Yohan was already far too busy with other matters.
Moreover, this engagent was rely a formal façade.
There were no emotions between Yohan and Serena.
Thinking rationally, Ilea had no reason to be wary of Serena.
She resolved to get along with her.
In fact, Mapheltan had asked her to do so.
Ilea spoke to Lumina.
“I am sorry, but nothing you are hoping for will happen. I have decided to respect Mapheltan’s will.”
Lumina turned her head away sharply and returned to her research.
Leaning against the wall, Mapheltan spoke.
“Ilea, I am always grateful to you.”
Ilea drew a gentle smile.
“It is nothing. More importantly, there is sothing I am curious about.”
“What is it?”
“If, just hypothetically, Lady Marcano were to refuse the engagent, what would you do then?”
Mapheltan needed the wealth of the Marcano Family and the power of the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
By any ans necessary, he had to claim both.
Staring up at the ceiling, he replied.
“That will not happen. Serena is a clever woman.”
The mont she refused the engagent, Mapheltan and Serena would beco enemies.
The victor of that conflict had already been decided.
The Marcano Family could never defeat Yohan and Mapheltan.
Serena knew that well.
Through the Heart-Piercing Eyes, she had seen all the weapons Yohan possessed.
Her acceptance of the engagent was already a foregone conclusion.
Ilea spoke again.
“That is why I said ‘hypothetically.’ Answer just for fun. If she refused the offer, what would be your contingency plan?”
Mapheltan always considered alternatives.
This ti was no different.
He had already contemplated what to do if things went awry.
He answered calmly.
“…There would be so bloodshed.”
Ilea pondered briefly, then smiled with her eyes.
“You would need my strength then. Call on anyti.”
Lumina glanced back at Ilea.
There was an inexplicable cruelty mixed into Ilea’s smile.
It sent a chill through Lumina.
She muttered softly.
“So scary. As expected of a witch.”
Mapheltan nodded.
“If necessary, I will ask. Though it is unlikely you will need to act.”
Ilea smiled gently and returned her focus to the research.
Mapheltan, left alone, sank back into thought.
“Serena, accept my proposal. I ask you.”
He did not wish to ruin an innocent human.
***
The morning light broke.
At the appointed ti, Yohan entered the reception room once more.
Serena sat in a chair with her eyes closed.
Her presence was remarkably tranquil.
Even the air around her had settled into calm.
Sensing soone’s presence, Serena slowly lifted her eyelids.
“You have arrived, Lord Yohan.”
Mapheltan was gone, and Yohan had taken his place.
Just as he had said, during the day he truly returned to human form.
“Lady Marcano, did you have a restful night?”
Yohan t her gaze.
The fear had vanished completely from her eyes.
No—emotion itself seed absent.
Serena appeared detached.
She spoke calmly.
“Thanks to you, I endured a long night. I could not sleep, so my eyes kept closing.”
Yohan nodded.
“If you are tired, I will be brief. Will you accept my proposal?”
Serena slowly raised her hand onto the table.
A crimson ring rested on her ring finger.
She spoke in a dry voice.
“Is that answer enough?”
She had accepted.
A satisfied expression crossed Yohan’s face.
“A wise choice, Lady Marcano. As expected of you.”
For him, the result was most pleasing.
Without any loss, he had obtained the optimal outco.
Serena spoke.
“In return, may I make a few requests?”
Yohan smiled warmly.
“Say as many as you wish.”
He was in an exceptionally generous mood.
He was willing to accept almost any request.
Serena said,
“First, I want my sister Serin to be given freedom. Is that possible?”
Serin had spent her entire life trapped inside the mirror.
She could not co outside.
If it were Yohan, perhaps he could change her fate.
After all, he was acquainted with a great mage.
Yohan answered imdiately.
“Agreed. The mont you overco the side effects of the Heart-Piercing Eyes, Serin will also be freed.”
For now, Serin still had to remain in the mirror world.
She was bearing the side effects of the Heart-Piercing Eyes in Serena’s stead.
Outside the mirror world, Serin would die from those side effects.
No one desired such an ending.
Serena spoke in a low voice.
“Swear it.”
Yohan inclined his head slightly.
“I swear it upon my life.”
Serena nodded and continued.
“My next request.”
“Please, go on.”
“Allow to use the Heart-Piercing Eyes one last ti.”
“To confirm my true feelings behind the oath?”
Every promise spoken by a demon was a re illusion.
Their words were all deception.
Serena replied calmly.
“That is part of it. There is one more thing I wish to confirm.”
“What is it? Speak.”
“My fate and that of my family. If you intend to destroy us, then I need to prepare myself.”
Yohan fell into thought.
Only after quite so ti did he speak.
“Rember this well. This will be the last ti you use the Heart-Piercing Eyes on .”
Serena nodded.
“Very well. Then I will ask. Lord Yohan, in your ultimate goal, what becos of , of Serin, of my family and my father? Surely we will be ruined and fall into misery.”
Yohan stared at Serena without answering.
His true intentions surged into her mind.
Serena’s brows twitched.
As ti passed, her expression changed again and again.
Disbelief, confusion, bewildernt—countless emotions churned before she froze in a daze.
Yohan spoke.
“I hope my will was conveyed clearly.”
He desired one thing, unmistakably.
He wished for everyone’s peace and happiness.
Serena had confird that intention.
———Those who stand by my side will all be happy. Serena, Serin. The sa goes for both of you.
Those words echoed in her mind.
She murmured softly.
“…Why would a demon, how could a demon…”
Yohan shrugged.
“Red blood flows through my veins as well, as you can see.”
Serena stared at Yohan, unable to comprehend.
For a long while, silence enveloped the reception room.
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