17 So it’s that kind of bride...

The next few days, my plan of using my body was thwarted as my journey to seek information compelled me to first learn the basic language of the locals. And so I was confined to my room and the library, getting private lessons from the succubus princess.

I had to work hard using my brain after a long time, but it was a fortunate thing that the library wasn't a dreary, suffocating place. It was a proper study room with a proper comfortable environment and a proper view of a beautiful landscape.

Thanks to that, I made considerable progress in my study. It also seemed like Valmeier had a pretty good brain, because remembering the different letters came with more ease than I originally thought. All I had to do after remembering the letters were use them to recognize the words and commit them to memory.

I still started from children's books; a light exercise for the brain that also gave me insight into the norms and cultures of the demons. There was no better place to learn about those things than the stories they told to the children, since children's stories were usually used to teach fundamental values from an early age.

Which actually told me that no difference in the basic value being taught in the human territory; things like no stealing, paying respect to one's parents, doing good deeds...

"Hmm...is there no children's books about the Lord?" I rummaged through the piles on the sofa beside me. He'd been reigning for a few decades so I thought there would be at least one book telling his stories.

"You can just ask the Lord,"

"Well, that's true but..." I stopped, and lifted my head. I couldn't see Zia anywhere, although the girl usually seating in front of me reading her romance novels. I did see her books, but she had vanished, as if running away.

So I turned my head to the source of the voice earlier, and saw the said Lord smiling at me, leaning back on the sofa casually.

"...oh," was the only stupid reply I could come up with.

Honestly, I was stunned.

Was it because it had been almost a week since I saw him last? Was it because of his silver eyes, looking at me like a pair of shining moons? Was it because of his charming smile, carved easily upon his handsome face?

Maybe. But mostly it was because I couldn't freaking sense him coming at all.

When did he come? Since when? Since I was foolishly rolling around the carpet? Since I was making scribbles of the letters, jotting down any memories I had regarding the novel's setting?

And it was inside those panicking thoughts that I only stared at him blankly like a broken machine. So I only kept still when he reached out his hand and grabbed my chin, gently turning my face all around, and rubbed my cheek with a smile.

"You look better," he said, pinching my cheek next. "And healthier, good."

"...you sound like a cattle farmer..."

My eyes squinted in reflex, and he laughed softly, prompting me to look at his lips. He leaned his face then, making me flinch involuntarily, and felt like my heart stopped beating for a moment.

From a fright, from nervousness, who knows? My mind was all over the place when I looked at his face, overlapping with the memory of a distant, warm feeling of a certain winter.

His pinching fingers stroke my cheek now, and I could see every ripple within his moonlit eyes.

"You can't tempt me with such mixed feelings, Val," I heard his low voice caressing my cheek, before the cold lips landed there, gently. "It's unfair," he whispered before pulling away.

Well, excuse me if you could sense my thought, it wasn't my problem!

And it certainly shouldn't be my problem if the author decided to design you based on my crush!

Although, it scared me that he could sense 'that' far, to the point that he knew I was thinking about someone else. It was frightening to be so...bare.

"So why are you looking at children's books?" he smirked, visibly pleased at my sulking face, and pointed at the scattering mess.

"I'm doing your homework," I replied with eyes darting to see whether my notes full of the novel's setting were already hidden.

"Homework..." he chuckled in amusement, cold fingers swept the strands of hair on the side of my face, tucking them behind my ear. "You're investigating me through children's books?"

"Why? Won't you like it if I see you through children-tinted glasses?"

His hand, which was playing with my hair, stopped moving. I thought he was going to pull away, but his arm slumped into my shoulder instead, and I could feel him shaking against my side.

"Why are you laughing, my Lord?" I pursed my lips to hide how his cold temperature send shivers through my skin.

Again, I felt his lips on my cheek, this time with laughter rippled through my skin. "I'd rather you see me through your own eyes," he stood up and then lifted his gaze to stare at the library's second floor. "Stop hiding there, girl."

Cautiously, Zia peeked out her head from one of the pillars, grinning sheepishly. She really shattered the quiet and haughty image she had when I saw her for the first time.

She coughed a few times, but didn't move out of her place. "I...I'm not hiding! I just don't want to disturb you..."

I had thought that their relationship was like a cousin, but looking at their family chart, Natha was more like a very distant uncle, since he was of the same generation as Zia's father, apparently. Which actually meant the new Lord of Lust was also Natha's nephew.

And as the naughty, runaway niece, Zia had an inherent fear toward Natha, especially after she realized she was blabbering about information that might or might not have a clearance of being shared with a human like me.

Even if I was the Lord's bride.

But from the way Natha smirked while shaking his head slightly, I guessed she was in the clear. "Come down and continue your lesson."

Oh, so he knew.

He turned to look at me, still with the same smirk, and brushed my fringe. "Study hard, and investigate well,"

Wow, what a motivation.

"If you have something you want to ask me, make a list in that note of yours," he tilted his head at the book I'd been gripping. Well, fuck, how much did he see? "Calm down, I didn't see anything."

"Hey!"

He laughed again, how annoying. "Will you even answer them?"

Or would he just tell me to find out by myself again?

"Who knows?" he shrugged, eyes narrowed into a half-moon. "But I want to know what kind of things you want to know about me,"

I clicked my tongue, only to regret it after it was done. Crap—what if he found it insolent? What if he thought I was stepping out of the line?

I didn't know if he could sense my distressing thought or not, but he just walked away to the door. "Finish your study and come up,"

I stared at him, the gleaming silver orbs and his deep smile were the last things I saw before the door closed.

"Phew...I thought he'd reprimand me for something again..." Zia came down with her fluttering wings. "Why are you touching your cheek?"

"...no reason,"

"Lies!"

"No reason!"

"You're lying!"

"I'm not!"

"You're blushing!"

"I'm definitely not!"

* **

Tea time had passed already when I came back to the suite. It wasn't because I was such a studious person.

I had just been busy preparing my heart.

Or rather, fortifying my mind. Being able to sense others' thoughts was really a cheating ability, wasn't it? But it was probably why he could become such a wealthy man. After all, it would really help during trade negotiations and such, right? Not that I would know anything about that.

I couldn't see him inside the sitting room though, nor was he in the bedroom. I had thought he was gone inside the study—which I still hadn't had any courage to intrude on—but then I heard the screeching sound of those flying creatures, and felt the breeze flowing through the slightly open balcony door.

When I peeked outside, my eyes fell on the sight of the Demon Lord half laying on the huge outdoor sofa that looked more like a small bed than a seating area. Especially with all of those big and comfortable pillows, and light curtains hanging over the canopy above. When the light breeze from temperature controlled array set around the tower flew, and the warm sunlight poured in, it became a nice place for a nap.

I knew. I had a nap there. Twice.

Leaning sideways with just a light shirt on, he looked like an actor coming out of an advertisement shooting back on Earth—if we ignored the obvious blue skin. Casually spent his free time reading—

Fuck!

I lunged into the sofa and snatched the book from his hand. "Why the hell are you reading this?!"

He looked up, lips fully stretched into a wide smile. "Why? I found it in the nightstand drawer. Quite a collection you have there,"

"It's not mine!"

"Well, it's definitely Zidoa's," he leaned into the stack of pillows, propping his head with his arm. "But you kept them,"

Ugh...there was nothing I could say to that. I did read a title or two when I couldn't sleep, since Zia kept asking me about them.

"It makes me wonder, though, whether you're trying to run away..." he tapped his fingers on the title of the book in my clutch.

Was it my imagination? But I felt like there was a dangerous glint flashing in his moon-like eyes. But when I peered into him again, there was nothing but a teasing stare there.

"No," I replied swiftly, and truthfully. I really didn't have any intention to leave. Well, not now, at least, so there was no lie there.

It seemed like my decisive answer appeased him because his stare was warming up, and he gave me that sweet smile that always reminded me of the only crush I had ever had in my life.

Oh, damnit.

"Well, as long as you don't," he patted the space beside him, and I scooted closer, seating myself there while shoving the book far away to the edge of the big sofa.

"Was that girl giving you all of that for night reading?"

"No, it was Angwi,"

There was a pause for a full minute until he said anything. "That was...unexpected,"

Tell me about it!

"Why?"

He stared at me, eyes full of curiosity, and I couldn't help but averted my gaze, staring at the bright neon-colored leaves of the potted plant next to the sofa instead. "Uhh...I...it might be because I asked her what being a bride means..."

*pfft*

Yeah, I knew...I knew he'd laugh. "So...do you get the answer?"

I turned my head at him with a frown. "I don't know. How could I know? You're the one who suddenly told me I had to be your bride! How could I know whether you—"

I pressed my lips, and turned my head away. Wow...what a way to screw up, Val.

"Go on," I could feel Natha stir beside me, and soon my cheek was under his grasp. He didn't make any forceful movement, but my face just reflexively turned to meet him. "Is there any other kind of bride in your mind?"

He was so close. Fuck—he was so close!

I didn't think I had gazed at him this close while being sober before. I could see my reflection in his silver eyes, trying hard not to break into panic.

"...the kind...that is being sacrificed...for God?" my voice was weak and almost shaking—perhaps because I knew it was a terrible answer.

Surprisingly, he didn't look offended. He looked up, as if thinking of something, and then leaned back, retreating his hand from my face. "Ah, that kingdom who worships the God of Purity?"

"...huh? You know?"

"You think I don't?" he smirked. Ah, right, information was the biggest weapon for merchants. And Lords, of course. And Natha happened to be both. "What, you've been worried because of that? Do I look like someone who needs to extract other life forces?"

Huh...when I thought about it like that...

"...no?"

"No," the retreating fingers came to my face again, cooling my heated cheek. "Is that clear enough for an answer?"

How should I say this…That my mind was short-circuiting? That my heart almost stopped beating? That my lungs stopped functioning?

"Val," the cold finger rubbed on my lips, and the cold lips rubbed on my earlobe. "It's 'that' kind of bride."