Chapter 44

Damned bastard.

Odil swallowed down the curse word as he couldn’t say this aloud while literally flipping through a mountain of paperwork. Lubich, who was stamping his seal at the desk opposite him, was no different.

“…Sir Cygnus. I’m going to kill my older brother today. Don’t stop me.”

“Ha. I cannot even dare to harm a member of the Imperial Family, so you may do whatever you want.”

Lubich was Kyren’s half-brother, and his full name was Lubich Pyren Demonik Ciel. He had renounced his right to the throne, and now currently supports and empowers Kyren while also assisting him as the prime minister. Odil gladly sided with Lubich this time as he gritted his teeth.

When Kyren’s mother fell into pagan faith and raised him abusively, it was Lubich’s biological mother, Empress Erina, who took care of Kyren like a real mother. Due to her weak constitution, she fell ill before Kyren had ascended to the throne, but he got along with Empress Erina like she was his real mother.

Perhaps it was because of the influence, but Kyren and Lubich did not have a bad relationship even though they were half-brothers. Also, Lubich was delighted to tears when Kyren ascended to the throne. In the first place, he just dreamed of assisting people above him rather than being in that place himself.

But now, he felt like he wanted to rip and kill himself from that time in the past.

“May I leave Sir Zeid to you, Sir Cygnus?”

“I’ll try to hold him back as much as possible.”

Neither Lubich nor Odil were in their right mind at this moment because it’s been a while since they slept properly. Considering how intense the looks they had in those red, blood-shot eyes, they seemed serious about killing Kyren. And as soon as Kyren opened the door, Lubich jumped up and threw his seal.

“Die! You a*shole Older Brother!”

“Oh! What, Lubich!”

“Oh! What, Lubich! You’re saying the same thing! Did Mother teach you that way, Brother?! Did I teach you that way?! Any son of Mother’s wouldn’t just pass off his own work to others!”

“No, no. Thinking about it, you and Odil…”

“Shut up!”

He was puzzled as to whether he should be happy that Lubich, who had treated him with a formal attitude enough that he kept telling him to stop being so stiff, was now treating him honestly after a long time, or if he should be sad after seeing how bloodshot Lubich’s eyes were.

Kyren’s expression hardened as he sensed that not only Lubich ​​but also Odil was looking at him with a formidable gaze.

Lubich froze at the sudden change of atmosphere, but he was not deceived.

“Well, what are you going to do looking like that? You and I are going to die both on this day, Brother! Aargghh!”

“I-I got it, I got it! I’ll do it all so calm down!”

Thus far, Kyren had continued to avoid all the pens and papers that Lubich flung at him, and he soon stood behind Odil. Odil’s expression grew distorted as if he was looking at something dirty, but his expression changed as soon as Kyren smiled and whispered something.

“Sir Cygnus. Please stay out of this.”

“…His Majesty already promised, so please let it slide this time, Lord Lubich.”

“Yeah, Lubich. I’ll do everything from now on. I won’t even run away now.”

Lubich, who took turns seeing Odil sighing and Kyren laughing shamelessly behind him, smiled brightly, as if he had ever been so excited.

“Really? Then I will be on my way.”

“…Wait, Lubich. What should I do with the papers on the ground?”

“Didn’t you say that you’ll do everything? Of course, you must not get any help from Sir Cygnus either. He’s already busy enough with his work at the Order of the White Knights.”

And Lubich’s footsteps, which had left the office before Kyren could stop him, were light as if they were about to fly away.

Kyren’s gaze, who had stared blankly at the closed door, turned to Odil. Of course, Odil had no intention of helping, and he didn’t care at all, because what Kyren whispered now mattered more than that.

“So what are you saying about the succubus?”

Realizing that he had been deceived by looking at Odil, who was utterly ignorant of his own plight, Kyren sighed as he brushed away his droopy hair. He must have been determined to get out of work for several days.

Kyren groaned and sat down on her couch, but it was only for a moment. He narrowed his eyes and spoke.

“Odil. I really like you. We’ve been friends for a long time now, and you’re my most trusted sword. So it doesn’t matter if you have a secret you are hiding from me.”

When the word ‘secret’ came out, Odil’s face hardened. He must have noticed, but Kyren said as he twirled his long hair with one finger nonchalantly.

“When I heard that a demon had been brought into the castle, I didn’t really care. Because it wouldn’t even be able to harm me. But if it’s a succubus, it’s a different story.”

“Your Majesty.”

“She’s a cute Lady.”

It was a very friendly voice, but a sharp and fierce face. Odil, who was standing with a dark face, sighed and said.

“…I told you I was going to explain it from the beginning, didn’t I?”

“…Uh, did you?”

“I don’t even have time to talk because you keep running away before I can even explain properly.”

Come to think of it, he remembered that as soon as Odil talked about Terra, Kyren just got hurt so he kept running away. So, while he was on the run, he met Lily. Yet he was now telling Odil that he was upset with him.

As Odil looked at him with slightly disenchanted and cold eyes, Kyren smiled in his embarrassment. He coughed and smoothed his expression again.

“Tell me.”

“I was going to tell you again. But since the story is going to be long, I will make time for it.”

“It’s okay with me.”

“No. It’s not okay.”

Kyren, who had tilted his head, followed Odil’s gaze, and stiffened. The papers and pens that Lubich threw in a rage were scattered on the floor, and the order was also mixed up. Kyren looked at Odil with a sad face, but he bowed his head to greet Kyren and turned his back.

“…Sir Zeid.”

“…….”

“Let’s get to work.”

Kyren called Zeid with a faint voice. Jumping out of the darkness with the men, he helplessly began to pick up the fallen papers.

* * *

Odil’s steps from the Imperial Palace were heavy. He knew Kyren had been running around leaving work to himself and Lubich, but he never thought he would have met Lily in the meantime. Odil couldn’t even imagine that Kyren had already gone to the library in the knights’ quarters.

Kyren’s charisma was capable of captivating people. Sometimes, it came in the form of fear, sometimes awe, and sometimes, he could even deeply enchant people into seeing him as someone completely harmless. It was a kind of magic that he wielded.

He exercised it as naturally as his own breathing, and the weaker the opponent’s will and mental strength was, the more powerfully it made them be captivated by him. It was thanks to that magic that Kyren was able to strengthen his power as the emperor without any major problems.

What Kyren was wary of was the succubus’ fascination that even enchanted him for an instant. He knew the dangers of magic that shook emotions, because he himself used that kind of magic to enchant people.

In fact, if it had been the usual Lily, Kyren wouldn’t have even noticed and he wouldn’t have to be on alert at all. But really, today was not his day.

Odil, unaware of that fact, arrived at the knights’ complex and thought about it for a while before going up to the third floor of the main building.

With Kyren trying to forcefully hold the ring as bait, Odil became concerned that Kyren might try to harm Lily.

“…Ha.”

Stupid bastard. He let out a short breath at the hypocritical action that he couldn’t understand himself. Standing in front of the door, struggling to suppress his complicated brain, Odil knew that the library door was locked. And he soon frowned. She couldn’t have skipped work without any notice, and he thought she might have been away for a while, but he felt a presence from the inside.

Lily had a personal key to the library. Saying it that way wasn’t technically wrong, but it’s not entirely right either. Because Odil and Endymion had the keys to open all the rooms in the knight’s complex.

He didn’t have to tell Lily, as he was the one who carried this responsibility and duty.

Odil thought it was strange because the door was locked. The door to the library couldn’t be locked from the inside.

Hesitating uncharacteristically, he opened the door and entered. And he breathed in the sweet scent that filled the room.

“…What.”

“Today’s supposed to be a day when no one comes in. Don’t you know? But the door’s locked, so how did you get in?”

Odil took a step back at the eerily strong scent. Even though the voice was faint, somehow it felt like the cry of a hungry beast.

“You…”

“Get out quickly. Otherwise, I will eat you.”

Odil, who covered his nose and mouth with the back of his hand, looked at Lily and furrowed his brow. Her flushed face, dazed eyes, and collarbones were exposed, because the disheveled clothes that were unbuttoned were distracting.

“Why are your clothes…”

Odil, whose words were blurry from his covered mouth, took off his coat and draped it over Lily. He didn’t know why her frock was taken off. Odil, who was about to tell her to button up because there was nowhere to put his eyes, suddenly realized that he had responded to her words too skillfully.

Like dealing with a succubus.

“…Are you the night side?”

Lily, who stood blankly holding the coat that had been draped over her shoulder, smiled mischievously. Odil rarely ever called her properly when she was in her succubus form, and he just usually called her ‘that woman’ or ‘that witch’, but right now, he was calling her indirectly through the term ‘night side’.

But it was daytime right now. It wasn’t time for the succubus side of Lily to show up, so he inadvertently asked. However, if there was one thing that Odil missed, it’s that Lily wasn’t aware that he knew who exactly she was.

“The night side… Is that what you’re calling me?”

Odil was momentarily speechless at the whispering voice. His lips, which were poor in making excuses as much as he could not lie, were tightly shut.

“Today is a very strange day. Since when have you known?”

Momentarily entranced by her tongue as she licked her thick lips, he averted his gaze. Red eyes soaked with lust followed him tenaciously.

“Don’t you… only show up at night?”

“I know. It was the first time I had changed like this during the day, so I was surprised too. Still, I’ve come all the way here, and you know how Endymion tells me not to go out? It’s too much, really.”

As Lily took a step closer, Odil took a step back without realizing it. It was because from under his feet, those ugly things that made him feel dirty just by looking at them were wriggling.

“…Did Endymion say that?”

“Yes. He locked the door and left. There was nothing for me to do, so I played with myself a little, and then my body got hot. But it just so happens…”

Lily’s eyes were gleaming with strange madness as she licked her lips again. Odil’s face paled as he felt sweat dripping from his clenched fist.

“You’re here. I was going to send you away nicely, but you know, how could I do such a thing to a cutie like you? Right?”

“Wait… Ugh!”

Lily reached out her hand with an unusual force. Odil was thinking of a way to stop her or avoid her, but he soon realized that his ankle had caught on something. He cursed briefly.

“…Sh*t.”

Tentacles darker and thicker than usual were wriggling and wrapped around Odil. A pale hand touched his chest over his shirt. When he raised his head, startled, she was already standing there in the form of the succubus Odil knew well.

With a seductive smile, Lily spoke.

“It’s you, not anyone else, but that’s okay.”

As the dark red petals fluttered chaotically around them, Lily drew Odil to her. Tentacles crawling from the floor closed the half-open window and disappeared.