Chapter 56: Mental Space

Melorin carefully examined Lilith’s face.

She noticed that although Lilith was still beautiful, there were faint dark circles beneath her eyes, and her once-bright gaze now carried an unmistakable trace of weariness.

Her maid outfit was neat, yet there was a very subtle crease at the collar, as if it had been roughly tugged.

Melorin’s heart sank sharply.

She knew the Demon King’s methods all too well—whatever Lilith had gone through could not possibly have been something easy.

She asked tentatively.

“Lilith… were you very tired today?”

Hearing Melorin ask this, Lilith froze for a moment, then smiled softly, a hint of bitterness in that smile.

“Yes.
I really was very tired.”

She paused, her gaze turning gentle.

“But when I think about being able to come back and see you, I feel that… everything was worth it, and it makes me happy inside.”

Hearing Lilith say this, Melorin suddenly felt her eyes grow hot and moist for no clear reason.

She thought of Servia’s worry, and of Louise’s reliance—but Lilith was different.

Lilith was the Demon King’s closest aide, yet time and again she had angered the Demon King for Melorin’s sake.

Melorin knew all too clearly that what Lilith had endured today could never be summed up by a single word like “tired.”

She forced up a gentle smile, her voice as light as a dream.

“Lilith… you really have worked so hard.”

When Lilith heard these heartfelt words, her previously calm expression changed dramatically.

She smiled, but tears shimmered in that smile.

Still stroking Melorin’s face, her fingertips trembling slightly, she said.

“It’s not hard.
I just… sometimes feel guilty in my heart.”

Following Lilith’s gaze, Melorin looked into her eyes.

Those eyes that always carried a smile were now filled with tears.

“It’s nothing,” Melorin comforted her softly, her voice carrying a gentleness that transcended her own pain.

“You don’t need to worry about me.
As the defeated one, this should have been my ending.
You don’t need to… to bear these things for me.”

Hearing Melorin say this, Lilith’s hand paused against her cheek.

She gazed into Melorin’s ruby-like eyes.

There was no resentment, no anger—only a near-compassionate tenderness.

“Melorin,” she sighed softly, her voice full of heartache and helplessness.

“You really are so gentle.”

Slowly, almost reverently, she rested her forehead against Melorin’s, feeling each other’s warmth and breathing.

Their hair intertwined, as if in this moment all identities, positions, and suffering had temporarily melted away.

“What a pity,” Lilith closed her eyes, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.

“We are both people bound by our duties, unable to free our true hearts.”

She paused, her forehead still pressed to Melorin’s, as if drawing strength from this fleeting warmth.

“Melorin,” she spoke again, her voice carrying a bottomless fatigue and self-reproach.

“I think sometimes I really am… really quite heartless.”

Hearing the minister say this, Melorin’s heart clenched.

She raised her hand.

Though her movement was still weak, she firmly held Lilith’s hand in return, comforting her with all the gentleness she could muster.

“No.
You have always been kind, always gentle.
Lilith, you have never been a heartless person.”

Hearing Melorin say this, Lilith smiled softly, her fingertips brushing lightly across the corner of Melorin’s eye.

“You are gentle too.”

Before the words had even faded, Melorin’s consciousness suddenly felt light.

The room before her eyes rippled and distorted like water.

In the next instant, she found herself standing in a boundless pure-white space.

Beneath her feet was a cloud-soft white ground.

Above her was a hazy halo of light.

Around her was nothing at all—silent and empty.

Melorin curiously surveyed this unfamiliar yet tranquil space, her heart filled with confusion.

At that moment, she felt a familiar hand gently pat her left shoulder.

She spun around sharply.

Lilith was standing behind her, dressed in her black maid outfit, which appeared strikingly vivid against the pure-white world.

Her face carried that same gentle smile as always.

“Lilith!” Melorin exclaimed.

“Where is this place?”

Seeing her confused yet curious expression, Lilith smiled as she answered.

“This is the mental space shared by you and me.
Only souls that are close enough can share this domain.”

Melorin was instantly shocked.

A mental space was an extremely private place—the sacred ground of the deepest part of one’s soul.

To share it with another meant absolute trust, and even the risk of exposing one’s most hidden thoughts.

She had never imagined that she would appear in the same mental world as Lilith.

Just as her mind was reeling, Lilith’s expression suddenly turned serious.

She looked straight into Melorin’s eyes, her voice low and clear.

“Melorin, I know that recently you’ve been thinking about changing the Demon King’s modifications to you.
You want to return to your original state, and you want to save your companions, restoring their human awareness.”

Melorin’s heart shook violently, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head.

She instinctively took half a step back and shook her head in denial.

“No… that’s not true!
I would never think that!
I’m living very well now, very happily!”

Her voice trembled slightly, her gaze darting away—clearly unconvincing.

Seeing her flustered attempt to hide it, Lilith couldn’t help but laugh, yet there was not the slightest hint of blame in her eyes.

“Alright, Melorin.
You don’t need to hide these things in front of me.”

She spoke gently.

“Whether it’s the Demon King or me, we both know very well what you’re truly planning in your heart.”

Hearing this, Melorin stiffened completely.

She knew that continuing to pretend was pointless.

At last, she gave up struggling.

Her shoulders sagged weakly as she let out a long sigh, her voice full of exhaustion and self-mockery.

“Alright… I really do think that way.
But you can’t really blame me for it.”

As she spoke, she thought to herself.

“After all, my usual behavior—if someone paid just a little attention and put the pieces together—they could infer my thoughts.”

Thinking this, Melorin sighed again.

“Ha… I guess my attempts at hiding it were really too amateurish.”

She lowered her head, not daring to meet Lilith’s eyes, feeling like a thief caught red-handed—utterly miserable.

Seeing her so dejected, a wave of tenderness rose in Lilith’s heart.

She stepped forward and gently patted Melorin’s head, like soothing an injured little animal.

“Alright, alright.
I’m not here to catch you, and I’m not here to punish you either.
Don’t make that face.”

Melorin looked up, confusion and puzzlement in her eyes.

“Then… what exactly are you here for?”

Seeing her puzzled expression, Lilith’s lips curved into a mysterious, mischievous smile.

“Then why don’t you guess?”

“Guess?” Melorin immediately puffed up her cheeks, turned her head away, and refused to look at her.

She said angrily.

“I’m not guessing!
Bad woman—Lilith!”

With her back to Lilith, arms crossed, she looked thoroughly sulky.

To Lilith, this scene was unbearably adorable.

She couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Stepping forward, she gently wrapped Melorin in her arms from behind, resting her chin lightly on Melorin’s shoulder.

“Alright, alright.
Don’t sulk.”

She paused, lowering her voice with a meaningful tone.

“Didn’t you always want to know how to restore your companions’ awareness?
You’ve read that report too, haven’t you?
You should also know that they can’t turn back into humans.”

Melorin’s whole body trembled.

She spun around abruptly, tightly gripping Lilith’s arms.

Her eyes shone with excitement and hope, her voice trembling with desperate pleading.

“Please, Lilith.
Since you know what I’m thinking, then tell me the method!”

Her tone was intensely sincere.

“Even if it can’t restore my awareness, you must at least let my companions regain their memories and will!”

“I’ll do anything!
As long as you tell me, I’m willing to pay any price!”

Her gaze was earnest and despairing, like a drowning person clutching at the final piece of driftwood.

Lilith quietly looked at her.

Looked at this girl who was willing to sacrifice everything for her former companions.

She raised her hand and gently flicked Melorin’s small nose with her finger.

The gesture was doting and tender.

She revealed a relieved smile.

“Alright, alright.
I know.”