S-Class Dungeon’s Mistress - Chapter 214

Chapter 214

A long story came to an end, and a solemn silence swallowed the demons.

The demons belonging to Greenville could barely make eye contact with Lisianthus, nervously avoiding his gaze. They were never particularly close to begin with, but the newly revealed facts seemed to have erected a massive wall between them.

The manager they had known as handsome, intelligent, and competent—with just a slight personality issue—was actually the former Demon King Belial.

Those who had heard of his infamy throughout the demon realm showed clear fear, and even those too young to know much about him were hesitant and uncomfortable meeting Lisianthus's eyes.

It was an expected reaction, but an inexplicable bitterness welled up inside him.

'Bitter,' he thought. In the next moment, Lisianthus softly chuckled at the fact that he had such a thought. He who had never expected anything from anyone, who had never shown affection—somehow, in less than a year, he had unconsciously developed feelings for Greenville's demons. He found himself both curious and amused by this realization.

Lisianthus slowly turned his gaze to assess the other two demons. Lupinus wore an extremely indifferent expression. Having lived among humans his entire life, he had little emotional response to matters of demon kings, former or otherwise.

Caladium also didn't seem particularly shocked. Though he didn't know the exact details, he had somewhat anticipated his strength. His thinking was, 'A being stronger than me can't possibly be an ordinary demon.'

Lisianthus turned his gaze again, carefully looking at Adelaide. Her reaction was what he was most curious about. Thinking about how she had been pretending not to know, despite likely having guessed his identity, made his heart ache. It was a feeling that was both thrilling and simultaneously sad.

She bit her lip, her eyebrows contorted. Her eyes were red, and her bitten lip looked like it might bleed. Her face appeared to be in profound distress.

Just as he was about to speculate on what was causing her such anguish, her red lips parted and a wet voice emerged.

"You must have had a hard time."

Adelaide swallowed what seemed like an imminent cry and continued.

"You must have been so lonely for hundreds of years."

This was a reaction Lisianthus had entirely not anticipated. He stammered, looking bewildered.

"I―"

Had I been suffering and lonely? At the time, he had never even considered such a thought.

"I am... fine."

But in this moment, he realized. He had indeed been extremely lonely and struggling back then. He had lived his entire life that way, simply unable to recognize those emotions.

Now, having spent time with Adelaide and the demons of Greenville, he could finally feel what was comfortable and enjoyable.

"How about now?"

Adelaide continued to probe his heart without stopping.

"Are you okay now?"

Lisianthus couldn't immediately respond, only moving his lips.

Why was she asking such a question? He had expected her to inquire about countermeasures, having revealed his identity before the Demon King and exposed their relationship at will.

He thought he had understood Adelaide well, but this was his mistake. Lisianthus still couldn't comprehend her at all.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you."

He squeezed out an forced answer.

In truth, he was far from just "fine" - he was troubled. The days spent with her were so happy that he was experiencing daily lingering feelings that were becoming inconvenient.

But he couldn't say such things now.

Lisianthus lightly clenched his fist. His short nails gently dug into his palm.

"More importantly, about calling Adelaide my woman in front of Agapanthus earlier..."

He quickly changed the subject, wanting to move past the uncomfortable topic. He was afraid his patience would run out if he waited for her to speak.

"Until now, I have never shown interest in a woman before him or anyone else. I've never even used an honorific to address another demon as 'master'. Therefore, Agapanthus will inevitably think that I hold Adelaide very special."

"What? Doesn't that mean Adelaide will be in danger? Greenville too?"

Caladium interjected, furrowing his brow. For someone who considered Lisianthus the most intelligent demon he knew, he couldn't understand how he would put Adelaide in such a risky situation, especially knowing how much Lisianthus cherished her.

"I'm fine!"

Adelaide tried to wave away the concerns, wanting to add something.

But Lisianthus spoke first.

"You need not worry about such things, Adelaide."

Though the question came from Caladium, his answer was directed at Adelaide.

"Agapanthus harbors a grudge against me. Beyond simply wanting to kill me, he wants to make me experience despair. So, knowing him as I do, he would not simply attack Adelaide and Greenville directly, but choose a different method."

"And what would that be?"

"...You'll know by tomorrow. The night is late, and you must be exhausted from everything that's happened, so it's best to rest today."

Lisianthus smiled softly and averted his gaze.

Though she had mountains of questions, Adelaide couldn't bring herself to speak further. She was afraid. For some reason, his smile felt strangely unfamiliar. Simultaneously, an uneasiness swept over her. She felt she shouldn't hear his explanation.

The demons gradually left, casting cautious glances. After a long silence, Adelaide also stood and headed to her room.

As he said, the night was late, and her body, worn out by the Demon King's magic, was overcome with fatigue. The groundless anxiety rising within her was surely just because of that.

She tried to calm her mind.

The long, dark night slowly passed.

Knowing the Demon King's army might attack at any moment, Caladium spent the entire night flying around Greenville in his phoenix form, keeping watch. Fortunately, that night, not a single witch approached Greenville.

And then, the next morning.

As Lisianthus had predicted, the Demon King's castle sent a demon. A thin mid-level demon, trembling, read out an extensive warning.

"H-hear me, master of Greenville, Adelaide! Greenville has daringly violated the demon realm's laws by hiding the royal enemy, Be-Be-Belial, committing a grave crime! Therefore, Greenville should be designated as a treasonous territory and severely punished. However, considering that the wicked and cunning Be-Be-Belial has hidden his identity until now, if you hand him over obediently, the true king of the demon realm, the Lord of Chaos Agapanthus, will generously show mercy. But if Belial is not sent to the royal castle within three days, it will be confirmed as rebellion against the royal family, and all demons of Greenville will be annihilated, and its dungeons will receive the same punishment!"

The demon, who had been overly stuttering whenever mentioning Belial, fled in a panic immediately after reading the warning, apparently assuming the furious Lisianthus would kill him.

Meanwhile, the demons of Greenville did not even think of chasing after him, maintaining their serious expressions.

Ha, Adelaide let out a small bitter laugh. Now she understood the meaning of what Lisianthus had said yesterday.

Agapanthus had planned to drive a wedge between Lisianthus and herself, and Greenville. He hoped Lisianthus would experience the pain of being betrayed by the woman he loved. With her life at stake, subduing him would be much easier.

Carefully considered, it was quite a clever strategy—except for the fact that she had absolutely no intention of abandoning Lisianthus under any circumstances.

'This sly bastard, what does he take me for...!"

Adelaide crumpled the warning message irritably. Beside her, Durahan Christopher asked nervously, "Wh-what should we do now?"

"The answer is simple," Lisianthus responded before she could speak. However, the words that followed were different from what she had in mind.

"I will go."

"...What?"

"And Adelaide must act as if she feels nothing for me before the Demon King. Disgust me, fear me. Only then will Agapanthus leave the master and Greenville alone."

Her heart began pounding rapidly. Adelaide stared at him in a daze. Her pink pupils wavered helplessly.

He must have another plan for saying this. Lisianthus is smart, so he definitely has something in mind. She bit her molars, thinking this. The same uneasiness from yesterday surged within her chest.

"That's impossible! What on earth are you talking about?!"

The Skeleton Captain screamed as if in pain, immediately blocking Lisianthus's path. Terrified that he might leave right away.

Following his lead, the other demons gathered around Lisianthus to stop him. Raham grabbed his arm with his thick hand.

"If you go to the royal castle, you'll definitely die! How can we let you walk to your death?"

Lisianthus was greatly perplexed as numerous hands grabbed him. Just yesterday, these beings had clearly feared him. No, even now he could see they were intimidated. Yet they were throwing themselves forward to save him.

How could the demons here be so delicate yet so affectionate? Was it because they resembled Adelaide?

Lisianthus smiled softly and responded, "I've lived long enough. After living about 700 years, you start to find boredom more frightening than death. So now, I have no lingering attachment to life."

Only then did Adelaide realize.

Lisianthus had planned this from the beginning. This was why he had spoken about being her man and calling her master in front of Agapanthus. While she was feeling secure, he was preparing for his own death.

Suddenly, something hot erupted from deep within her chest. It felt like a volcano was violently erupting inside her body.

She raised her head and glared fiercely at Lisianthus. And then she spoke, as if spewing a fireball.

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