Chapter 53: A Moment of Weakness

Yalin’s clothes were cold and soft, a comforting embrace as Wendy clutched them to her chest, a soft whimper escaping her throat.

“I’m so tired… I just want to lie down for a while…”

With that thought, she stumbled away from the cabinet, not even bothering to remove her shoes before collapsing onto the sofa. The oversized clothes draped over her, a faint scent lingering, enveloping Wendy’s senses.

“This is Yalin’s scent…”

Wendy instinctively gripped the fabric tighter. What was happening to her? Was it the alcohol? But she had only taken a symbolic sip, barely anything at all? Or had her tolerance dropped that low?

Under normal circumstances, her calm self would have immediately connected the necklace to something unusual. But today, her emotions were already complex, and the necklace’s influence had amplified those negative feelings tenfold, causing her to blame herself for everything.

“That necklace… it must belong to Yalin’s girlfriend, right?”

Wendy murmured, her blue eyes darkening. After all, Yalin had never worn any accessories. And the design was clearly feminine, even to her untrained eye. This wasn’t a big deal; the academy didn’t prohibit relationships, and Yalin was handsome and kind, so having a partner wasn’t surprising.

But why did her heart feel so empty? Even… accompanied by resentment. Wendy was baffled by these sudden emotions. Why was she upset? Why was she angry? Yalin was just her student, eight years younger, so what right did she have to feel this way?

But quickly, she realized the truth. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she had grown dependent on Yalin. From breakfast to making tea, keeping the lab spotless, even covering her as she slept at her desk… She had come to expect and rely on Yalin’s presence.

This dependence had evolved into a strong sense of possession, even without her realizing it. Was this who she truly was? So weak, so ugly? Wendy felt a surge of self-disgust, along with a flicker of fear for the future.

She had always been alone, afraid of losing more, of being hurt again. The shadow of Professor Grant’s death still lingered, an unhealed wound in her heart. And Yalin? One day, he would graduate, leave her side. If she continued to depend on him, what would she do then?

“Big sister, I hope you and that person can be happy together forever!”

Wendy suddenly recalled the flower girl’s parting blessing, a wave of bitterness surging through her. It was unbearable. She had always seen herself as rational, accepting reality. Someone like her didn’t deserve happiness. She was already lucky to escape that hellish family.

What right did she have to ask for more? But why? Why did she have to endure all this? She just wanted a warm home, someone who truly loved her. Was that too much to ask?

The more she hurt, the more lonely she felt, the hotter her body became. She needed to release this pent-up heat somehow.

“Mmm…”

Wendy’s eyes glazed over, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her breathing grew rapid, hot breaths escaping her lips, her chest heaving.

Her legs, encased in black stockings, tightened around Yalin’s cool clothes, rubbing against them incessantly. Anxiety and desire intertwined, leaving her in a bewildered state.

“No… I can’t…”

Wendy bit down on her knuckle, teeth leaving shallow marks. Her last shred of reason told her she couldn’t continue. But her body betrayed her, writhing more restlessly.

A little devil whispered in her ear, “You’ve suppressed yourself for so long, it must be tough. Being a little selfish now and then is okay, right? Just this once, as a final indulgence, since Yalin is still here… After this, resolve to forget him…”

Ultimately, her last defense crumbled against the overwhelming tide of desire. The empty lab echoed with faint, soft moans…

Unaware of the turmoil in the lab, Yalin slept soundly in reality. In his dreams, however, there was no respite. A black-red sky, endless fog, and an eerie, disgusting meat ball shrouded in black mist.

Ever since obtaining the Eye of Void, Yalin entered this space whenever he dreamed, engaging in ‘friendly’ interactions with the demon god. The main activity was being split and torn apart.

Over countless deaths, Yalin had grown accustomed to it, even learning to find humor in how long he could remain conscious with his head split in two. Through constant practice, he had extended his awareness from an initial five seconds to a current fifty.

“Come on, hurry up.” Yalin stretched his neck, eager to break the sixty-second mark. But today, the demon god seemed unusually off. Normally, it would have attacked by now, but today, it hesitated.

“What’s going on?” Yalin studied the massive meat ball, noticing the surrounding black mist thinning slightly.

“■■… ■■…” The tendrils on the meat ball writhed wildly, followed by an indescribable sound, like thousands of poisonous insects pouring into his ears, making him nauseous. Yalin clutched his head in pain.

Was it tired of the old routine, trying a new way to torture him? Enough already? But as time passed and he adapted, he began to discern a pattern, like untangling a knotted mess. He started to understand some of the words. “Thou… faithful… Grant… power…”