Awakened Character

"This world is... strange?" she repeated, confirming it. Zenesha stared at Louvnel with a questioning gaze.

This time, she was sincere. She really didn't know what he was talking about, although she had an idea of what he meant by it. It was that Zenesha didn't know who he was.

It could be confirmed that he was not like Zenesha, who was imprisoned in this world by those beings.

Louvnel observed her closely once more before he withdrew and leaned comfortably in his seat while still staring at Zenesha. For a moment, he fell silent, only making eye contact with her.

Zenesha also didn't leave her gaze off him. For some reason, something inside told her that this was a risk but also an opportunity. What was the highest probability? She didn't know.

A few minutes had passed. Louvel licked his red lips, and his piercing red eyes glinted before a somber expression appeared on his face.

"This world..." he started in a deep and yet low voice, as though afraid someone may overhear them. "...is not normal." Louvnel frowned. There seemed to be anger that flashed through his eyes as he continued.

"I don't know where it started. I woke up one day, and everything felt strange to me. The people around me, you, and... my identity. All of this made me confused." Louvnel paused, and he looked into the sky. This time, aside from anger, some fear was also evident in his expression.

His hand around the armrest tightly gripped it. His red eyes grew more prominent.

"And then... I feel that someone is observing me. No, not really me," he denied then, returning his gaze to Zenesha. "They are observing you."

Zenesha's expression really changed this time. She knew who he was talking about. It was those beings. However, even though Louvnel noticed the change in her expression, he only continued.

"When I noticed them, I immediately sensed danger. So, I decided to act like I always used to. Gradually, I really discovered that the trajectory of everything seems to be pointing at you." Louvnnel swallowed; there was now also curiosity in his eyes.

For the past months that Zenesha has known Louvnel, this was the first time that she saw so many expressions on his face at once and also talked so many words aside from a malicious hum.

"There are times that I only find myself being drawn to you, but this feeling is strange. I never have any memory of when I started liking you or the time when I met you." Louvnel was now blabbering as though the months that he was tightly zipped were now pouring out all at once.

"The scariest of them all... I don't know who I am either aside from me being a demon that is here in the palace hiding as a wolf and part of your harem. I can't remember anything." He then stared straight at Zenesha and asked a question.

"Tell me, do you know something?"

Instead of answering, Zenesha also returned a question.

"Why are you telling me this?" She had calmed down, but Louvnel's words still shook her.

Louvnel licked his lips. "I told you. I know you're like me."

Zenesha leaned on her seat. She was not feeling scared anymore but decided to play along. She got Louvnel's message by telling her these, despite her acting ignorant of them.

Of course, being aware didn't mean she had to trust him immediately. Just like the saying in this world, do not ever trust a demon completely.

"And how can you tell?" she asked. Her meaning was also clear, which convinced her some more. This was unlike the situation with her and Prime.

She and Prime's strength was so far a part that she had no choice but to comply with his words. But she and Louvnel were different. This was really cooperation, and without overwhelming might, Zenesha was not afraid too much, and if she was lucky, she might become the one in the upper hand.

A smirk formed on his lips in response to her question.

"Do you think I wouldn't know that you're the one who killed that servant of yours?" Louvnel shook his head playfully, a smirk unwavering on his lips. "I visited her room and her corpse; as a higher demon, I'll never mistake a pure moonlight magic. And with that kind of purity, there's only one in this world who can release it: you, the Wolf Queen."

Zenesha narrowed her eyes, and she had no choice but to admit defeat. Her magic was indeed pure, and even the priests in the temple couldn't grasp it if she chose to hide its traces. However, a higher demon could tell immediately because her power restricted and contracted the demon thoroughly. Unless the traces were completely eliminated.

This was her neglect; although she did erase her trace, she never tried to completely eliminate them as it was not in her mind at that time. So, a lingering energy was possibly left in the scene. Too hidden for the priest to discover, but enough for a higher demon to sense.

Instantly, while her demeanor didn't change, Zenesha's expressions were now completely different from those of the gentle queen. She raised a brow at him and asked, "What did you suggest?"

Her question was like an admission that his guess was correct; they were the same, and she was aware that something was strange in this world. However, she was still smiling inside. Louvnel was still wrong and didn't know the whole truth.

She wasn't only aware of the strange world, but she knew more truths than he could imagine. It was her trump card, something that she could use to take advantage of this cooperation.

Louvnel didn't answer immediately. A few seconds later, he seriously stated one word. "Freedom."

Zenesha's eyes glinted, but she was taken aback inside. For her... It was also her greatest goal. In the end, after saying that one word, they didn't actually say anything.

They seemed to be assessing each other. After a while, Louvnel also said goodbye to her. This time, there was a kind of tacit understanding between them.

Cooperation... It wasn't really possible. For its contents, that was the problem. Clearly, they were both cautious and not trusting of each other.

Zenesha narrowed her eyes as she watched Louvnel leave the garden. The attendants still stood far away from her. Slowly, she tapped her index finger on the armrest.

She had to admit it; this was really a development that she never thought about or expected. For what it meant to her, that had to wait. Zenesha's goal had not changed. Creating chaos until the moonlight ceremony and escaping the plot.

Louvnel was only a pleasant surprise.

"An awakened character." A casual voice suddenly sounded behind her. Zenesha almost jumped in her seat when she heard this voice from out of nowhere.

At her reaction, a deep laughter reverberated. Zenesha frowned and looked back. There, Prime floated in the air, and under her gaze, the dragon slowly sat in the seat beside her.

She almost glared at him, not remembering how strong he was! And she also processed what he said.

"An awakened character? What is that?"