The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 187

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 187

Soon, a soft sensation touched my cheek and below my ear. Heat rose to the tips of my ears at that touch, which was unmistakably a kiss, but it was only for a brief moment.

“Wait. Your heart, your heart? It’s already been four days…!”

“Calm down. I’m not as weak as an insect. Even though the curse’s reprieve has passed, I can endure a few more days.”

Large hands led my hand to his chest. Through my palm, his heartbeat was clearly transmitted.

So slowly, as if it might stop at any moment.

So weakly, as if it might fade away.

I was relieved that his heart hadn’t stopped. It was certainly a relief, but…

“What’s going on here?”

Why did I faint?

What about Dian’s eyes?

What about Kalerpa’s heart?

“It’s okay, the discomfort will end soon. It was unavoidable to make you docile. I’m looking for a way to bind your soul to this body.”

“…What?”

“Indeed, you never know how human affairs will turn out. To think I’d be able to peer into human souls through biological experiments worse than human scum. Sometimes the disgusting desires of mages can be useful.”

Every situation was complex and incomprehensible.

I felt like a wet paper boat swept away by waves of confusion as I stupidly asked back.

“What about your curse?”

“The Round Table Meeting wasn’t formed because of my curse. It was gathered to bind your soul. Of course, I’ll devour Kalerpa’s heart as per your excellent advice.”

“…Why? Why did you do this?”

“Because you ruined all my plans.”

Plans?

“I had no attachment to anything. A slave should be that way. From the moment I received Kalerpa’s curse, my death was predetermined, and I was quite willing to accept that fate. Why was I willing? Actually, I still don’t really know. I’ve been broken for a very long time, rolling along with several screws loose. I was rolling in the wrong direction. Perhaps death was the screw I lost back then. Through death, I could have been completed. Because… well. I’m still a slave, aren’t I?”

“…”

“Yes, it was certainly such a perfect plan…”

“…”

“But you’re trying to save me.”

“…”

“You ruined all my plans. So you can’t go back either, Ash.”

The weary voice whispered resolutely.

“If you want to save me, stay by my side for life.”

I couldn’t say anything for a long while.

Lu’s story kept circling in my ears. Lu who became a slave, Lu who was broken, Lu who had longed for a final command. I had something to say to him, but it was difficult to grasp how to express it.

But the moment I recognized his warmth, the only warm thing in this desolate cold, pink flower petals falling scattered above the waves that had been rushing to devour me came to mind.

Lu’s flower petals that had led me to this place.

“…Lu, there’s something I really want to tell you.”

“…”

“You didn’t feel joy in death because you’re a slave. You were just a little tired.”

Lu, who had been silent for a moment, openly sneered.

“As if you’ve experienced death.”

“…Yes.”

To that, I forced myself to clear my throat and continued.

“I’ve walked that path you walked too. I don’t have even the slightest desire to preach to you when I know nothing.”

Lu made no response.

I slowly raised my hand, traveling up his arm to gently caress his firm chin. I traced his hard, dry face and whispered tenderly.

“Do you understand? It means Kalerpa didn’t command you to die. He merely envied you.”

A demigod who fails to maintain the balance between emotion and reason falls to become human. So the curse Lu received wasn’t a death sentence that a slave should rightfully receive.

Unless it was the most ugly and disgusting evidence in the world of Kalerpa’s fall from god to human.

“The fact that I became your reason to live. Honestly speaking, I’m happy about it. But Lu, the fact that you blatantly ignore my words while trying to bind my soul… that’s not so pleasant.”

Lu is human.

Human Lu was young and vigorous, a rough and enterprising leader with unbreakable strength.

But perhaps because I knew him first as a mature adult? No matter how impressive the titles he was called by – monster, rebel army commander – the current Lu only looked like a young brat throwing a tantrum in my eyes.

That’s why I had to show him more clearly.

That just as he does, I too can love you violently.

“Lu. Why won’t you listen to my sincere concern for you?”

I can see my surroundings.

No, even if I can’t see with my eyes, I can sense it. It was possible because my five senses had become extremely sharp after crossing two walls.

One third presence behind me.

Their breathing and posture were far from the solidity of a swordsman. But Lu wouldn’t have placed some powerless civilian in this room. That meant they were a mage.

“Why won’t you accept it?”

I quietly bent down and embraced Lu.

His back, which had been standing stiffly with tension, very slowly leaned toward me. Taking advantage of Lu’s loosened guard, I drew the sword from his waist faster than ever before.

“…Don’t you know what’s more important right now?”

Shing. I stood up with a cry and turned the sword tip behind me. Soon I ‘felt’ the thin, delicate neck of the mage beyond the blade.

“If you don’t want to believe it, I’ll make you believe it.”

“Ugh.”

“Cast a binding spell between Lu and me, mage. So that when his heart stops, my soul will disappear forever too.”

The opponent’s Adam’s apple bobbed greatly with tension.

“L-Leader.”

“…I can see your skills are better than I imagined, so put down the sword now.”

It was a tone of gentle persuasion, as if dealing with an ignorant child.

But unfortunately, Lu here doesn’t know the most important fact about me. That I too have rolled through the same hell for 10 years.

“I’m not as merciful as your leader. Act now if you don’t want to die.”

As I pushed the sword tip deeper, I felt the quickening pulse.

“L-Leader…”

Lu whispered to me from behind.

“Don’t provoke me, Ash. Quietly lower your hand.”

Provoke? It was what I had hoped for, but in some ways it was an absurd thing to say.

“Well. I’m not sure who provoked me first. You were the one who made me cross that damn first wall, weren’t you?”

“I told you not to talk about things I don’t know about, didn’t I?”

Suddenly, the intense energy emanating from Lu squeezed my heart.

It was a kind of warning that a martial artist who had reached a certain level would typically display when pressuring an opponent. Having faced Raphael and the Swordmaster, it was just somewhat threatening but familiar pressure to me.

But this wasn’t Dian’s body.

There was no way young, frail Dian’s body could withstand Lu’s power.

‘Ah.’

Even though I gritted my teeth trying to endure with mental strength, my limit came quickly. My legs collapsed at the sensation of all the blood draining from my body. My mind went blank and severe dizziness struck.

“I…”

I.

“Because of you… I came to have too many things.”

“…Ash?”

Lu urgently embraced my collapsing body. I could feel deep panic in the palm supporting the back of my neck.

“Damn it. Calm down, Ash. Steady your breathing.”

“I didn’t want to desire so many things. I just…”

I just.

I had only thought that since I survived, I should continue living.

“I’ll entrust this flowerpot to you.”

“Entrust?”

“Anything is fine, so try to make flowers bloom in the flowerpot. But transplanting is forbidden. Start from seeds, not seedlings.”

I had no intention of planting such flowers.

I never wanted Natasha to be devoured by Mephistopheles’ heart and become a host.

I never once wished for Lu to disappear far away, leaving me behind….

Where exactly did things go wrong?

“I didn’t fall in love with you to be trapped in this dark, damp castle, pathetically making a fuss about dying together!”

It was a sudden cry of anguish.

In the silence filled with darkness, I gasped for breath while tightly gripping Lu’s clothes. Thanks to the familiar warmth that embraced me, my breathing quickly calmed down. As soon as my head cooled, the rationality that returned ran wild in confusion.

…What did I just say?

Before I could even feel shame, Lu pulled my hand up and placed it on his cheek.

“You love me?”

What my fingertips touched was clearly a deep arc that was unmistakably a smile.

I couldn’t tell what emotion he was suppressing, but his extremely refined, calm voice reproached me.

“That’s not right, Ash. A slave cannot love.”

Is that something to say while making such an expression?

Are you finding this amusing right now?

Or do you want to mock my sincerity?

“Stop with that damn slave talk, you idiot! If you want to stay bound like that, then serve me as your master! If you understand, swallow Calepa’s heart right now and become a god to attend to me for life!”

“Alright, Master.”

“….”

“Yes, if it’s an order from none other than my master… I cannot refuse.”

Lu opened my other hand and dropped something small onto my palm. Though it was smaller than a fingernail, I could recognize the identity of this intense energy with my heart even without seeing it.

Calepa’s heart.

“Feed it to me with your mouth.”

What?

“…is what I’d like to say. But it’s unfortunate, that body belongs to someone else.”

Is Lu really insane? To talk about binding souls when he knows this?

“You’re right. Rather than clinging to the worthless power of some mage, it would be better for me to become a god myself and bring back your real body.”

I wondered if he was still spouting such foolish words. But the moment I confirmed Lu’s expression through my fingertips, I couldn’t say anything.

“Remember this, Ash. If you’re not there when I return.”

His languid warning fell right above my lips.

“Then… even I can’t be sure what I might do to you.”

Warm lips touched my open palm. His body heat, careful and lingering like a kiss, swallowed the lone Calepa’s heart before withdrawing.

“…Huh.”

Heart crystals possess self-awareness.

Just as Mephistopheles raised an army of demons, and Dian Cecht wanted to save me, Calepa’s heart tries to steal Lu’s vessel.

“Damn it.”

Though invisible, I could vividly feel Lu’s pain. At some point, my hands and arms supporting him began to get damp with cold sweat. I held Lu tightly and continuously comforted him.

“Don’t worry. I’m here. You’ll overcome this, Lu. I know this is the process you need to go through….”

But even until the moment Lu collapsed unconscious from struggling in pain, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him.

The moment when two souls collide.

The fact that all the closest memories would be lost.

Two days later.

The day I would open my eyes in Dian’s body never came again.

.

.

.

Goodbye, Lu.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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