Chapter 28 : Between “Like” and “Love” (3)

“So you’re saying… you just left the crying and exhausted Saint to come to me right now?”

“Well… I think I messed up the confession…”

“Oh my god.”

In the middle of the night, Rebecca, who had been sleeping well, woke up and answered Morgan with a very annoyed tone.

“I did tell you to make her care about you, but…”

Rebecca pressed her forehead with her thumb as if she had a headache.

“Wait… was this my fault?”

“If the brainwashing had worked, I could’ve at least erased the memory…”

Morgan stayed silent and just bowed her head in front of Rebecca.

“What the hell is going on at this hour…”

“You crazy bastard, don’t come out!!”

The butler general, half-asleep, had just stepped out of the maid chief’s room when he got kicked back inside.

“…Why is the butler general here?”

“It’s a hallucination. I brainwashed the Demon King.”

“Anyway, let’s have some tea and talk. Please wait in the next room.”

“Okay.”

Rebecca quickly closed the door and went back inside.

From behind the door, the sound of Rebecca beating up the butler general could be heard.

‘You! Crazy! Bastard! Get! Your! Shit! Together! Just die already!’

Morgan quietly walked into the maids’ office next door and waited for Rebecca.

“You waited? I’ll make you some tea real quick.”

Rebecca expertly made black tea and even brought out some snacks the maids had hidden away to eat later.

Morgan quietly sipped the tea and asked:

“When did the two of you get like that? Didn’t you say you had three boyfriends?”

 Can we not talk about that topic, please…”

Seeing Rebecca nervously fidget with her fingers, Morgan decided not to push further. What mattered now was her situation with Charlotte.

“…Yeah, that’s what matters right now.”

“Thanks. So… what happened that you came out here alone this late?”

Morgan looked down at the teacup and slowly explained what happened. How the topic of love came up, how she couldn’t

hold back her feelings and confessed, and how Charlotte cried and rejected her. But still, Morgan said she’d wait as long

as needed.

“That was a bit sudden.”

“Right?”

“Who confesses right after being invited to the Demon King’s castle? Do you have no sense?”

Rebecca quietly sipped her tea, listening to Morgan’s story. Though she had told Morgan to try and make Charlotte care,

she hadn’t expected it to go as far as a confession.

“…I’m only asking because I’m really curious.”

Rebecca hesitated, then finally spoke.

“Why are you so serious about the Saint?”

“I mean, that ‘I fell for her eyes’ thing. I don’t get it. I don’t fall in love that easily.”

Rebecca took a bite of a snack and continued.

“You’re the Demon King. You shouldn’t be swayed by some human girl.”

“Right now, you can’t even beat a giant spider… but still, you’re our Demon King. You rule the Demon Realm and are

supposed to lead us to the New Continent.”

Morgan couldn’t say anything.

“Every demon knows you’ve been aiming for the New Continent for a thousand years. And we’re finally seeing results.”

The Eastern Beast Queen’s existence had been confirmed. If they could capture her, it’d be a huge step toward reaching

the New Continent.

“So then”

Rebecca let out a soft sigh.

“Tell me—why are you so hung up on the Saint?”

“…Well…”

Morgan looked lost for words for a moment before smiling bitterly.

“Don’t you hate it? That constant expression that says she’s struggling?”

“Even when she smiles, she still looks sad and tired. It makes me feel sick inside.”

“Back at the Demon King’s Castle when we first met—it was the same. No emotion, just pushing herself to protect her

teammates like she didn’t care if she died.”

Morgan recalled the first time she met Charlotte.

“You know how hard I worked not to kill her? I even endured the side effects of magic cancel just to keep watching her.”

“You did all that?”

“I hated how she ran around like her life didn’t matter. Hated how she threw herself into battle like being a Saint was

everything. When I heard she got kidnapped by the Dragon King, or went into that burning forest, I was more annoyed

than worried.”

Morgan gave a frustrated smile. It was clear she was at her limit.

“But at the end, when she killed me—that was the first time she showed a real expression. Like she was finally escaping

from all the hell.”

“Charlotte needs to think more about herself. She needs to live more selfishly. If not…”

Morgan remembered Charlotte’s story from three years ago. Why did she always sacrifice herself like that?

Didn’t she realize there’d be nothing left of her if she kept whittling herself down?

“That’s why I want to keep her by my side. So she won’t get hurt anymore. So I won’t have to keep worrying. When you’re

weak, it’s okay to hide behind someone stronger.”

Was she angry because Charlotte rejected her?

Or because she had rushed toward Charlotte while she was still hurting?

I don’t like how she acts strong to cover up how broken she is inside.”

He just wanted her to take better care of herself. To be able to laugh genuinely.

“When she’s in front of me, it’s dizzying. But I still want to look at her. No matter what she does, I can’t sit still.”

He just wanted to help her.

“I just… want her by my side. Quietly.”

And when all her wounds have healed—

He hoped she’d think only of him.

Morgan looked at Rebecca with a sad smile.

“Rebecca. Is this really love?”

Just that—he wanted to be her only one.

Rebecca quietly stared at her empty teacup.

“Well… You’ve definitely made her care now. Her reactions will change from now on.”

“…Yeah?”

“You confessed love, didn’t you? The Saint might avoid you for a while. Don’t get hurt by it.”

“Yeah… I understand.”

As Rebecca quietly cleared the teacups and got up to leave, Morgan grabbed her clothes, stopping her.

“…Why?”

“Don’t you still have something to say?”

“What are you talking about?”

Morgan smiled slyly and looked at her.

“What’s going on between you and the butler general?”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t ask?!”

“I told you everything. Isn’t it unfair if you don’t tell me anything?”

“seriously…”

“We promote free love here in the Demon King’s castle, but… You two fought all the time, and now this?”

“No, I mean… It’s just…”

Rebecca’s face turned red and she stuttered. It was refreshing to see her, who was always confident, get flustered like this.

Morgan felt like teasing her more.

“You know men aren’t allowed in the maids’ quarters, right? Did you think I’d let that slide?”

Rebecca’s face looked like it was about to explode as she sat back down.

“So… what do you want to hear exactly…”

“Everything.”

“I swear… I’m going to kill that guy…”

Even as she cursed, she smiled a little. It was nice to see.

Rebecca, who always used the succubus excuse to change men all the time, had ended up falling for her so-called rival, the

butler general. It made Morgan smile.

“He’s like… a fellow new recruit, I guess.”

“Yeah, I remember you joined together.”

“So… from back then…”

“Wait, from the beginning?!”

“I’ll help you properly from now on, so can we please stop here?”

“Nope.”

Morgan listened to Rebecca talk until dawn, until the red sun rose. In the end, watching Rebecca almost cry while

confessing everything made all the teasing feel worth it.

Eventually, Morgan left the grumbling Rebecca behind and headed back to the room she had snuck out of. As she

approached, she heard Charlotte talking in her sleep.

Was she having a nightmare?

Soaked in cold sweat, Charlotte clutched her chest and trembled in pain on the bed.

Morgan was about to wake her, but Charlotte’s sleep-talking stopped her.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

What was she so sorry for? Who was she apologizing to?

Morgan couldn’t bear to watch her tearfully confess her sins.

 Stop it… I’m… sorry…”

She panted and trembled in so much pain that Morgan wondered what kind of nightmare this could be.

Was there anything she could do to help?

Would Charlotte even ask for help?

Morgan suddenly felt like punching herself for confessing her feelings so recklessly at night.

“I… can’t use this kind of thing…”

Light from Charlotte’s holy power flickered in her hands. It glowed, then faded, reflecting her pain.

Her trembling eyelids were unbearable to look at.

It was still early, but Morgan decided to wake her up.

She shook Charlotte’s shoulder until the girl opened her eyes, soaked in sweat.

Charlotte looked at Morgan and smiled.

“Morgan…?”

But the smile was so forced, so fake, that anyone could tell.

Morgan almost cried without realizing it.