In the dead of night were not even the snoring sound was heard, Ryu was twisting and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Who would fell asleep in this situation? Ryu’s body was batted black and blue, that almost all of his blood run dry from his body. His wounds, without treatment, were infected as he burned ablaze.

All he felt was cold. Not only that, he was left to starve for full ten days. His lips were chapped and dry, that with just from tiny movements, blood ooze from the cracked skin. His saliva was thick as he swallowed it to ease his hunger.

But the most agonizing thing that kept Ryu on the verge of death was the soul scourge.

It was already a miracle that Ryu was still alive, but he was barely breathing. Often, Ryu thought that he would end his own life than experience this kind of torment. He was exhausted both physically and mentally. He could not even gather the strength to groan from the pain.

But just the image of Cecily in his mind. Ryu felt some of his strength return, and he managed to pull through, unable to end his life just for the sake of seeing her again. Even all he would be reciprocated were glares and torture.

Pant

Pant

Finally, the soul’s scourge stopped, which signified that Cecily was asleep.

The soul scourge would come into force only if the master concentrated on harming or killing the servant, but if the mind were not at it, it would not take effect.

Just as Ryu somewhat breathed a sigh of relief, he heard footsteps coming his way. A familiar scent that stings wafted his nose and his eyes flung open.

Though the smell was indeed disgusting and reminded Ryu of his days in the cell, there was something to it too that he couldn’t quite describe. It was faint and rooted very deep that no human could smell.

It was the smell of the sky. Ryu thought.

He could only think about this since the smell reminded him of the vast clouds and horizon.

A feeling of freedom.

“You alright?”

Ferris stood and titled her head to the side as she poked Ryu with a stick.

Ferris was bathed and clothed in a beautiful white robe, but her muddy skin and scars didn’t hide her ugliness beneath the beautiful garbs.

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But to Ryu, who didn’t care nor distinguished between men and women, all faces were the same except for the beautiful face of Cecily.

Ryu didn’t answer. If it weren’t because Ferris was Cecily’s person and he couldn’t move a muscle, he would bite off her hand that was poking him.

“Hmm . . . couldn’t even utter a word, huh. You’re badly beaten.” Ferris clicked her tongue.

Then she held her face with two hands, appearing cute. But in the dead of night, she only appeared like a disfigured goblin. Her eyes glimmered red.

“You know . . . I only allowed myself to be a servant of that girl because she is your mate.”

Ferris blubbered while Ryu eyed her, didn’t understand what the world she was saying.

How could Ryu understand? He was like an ignorant newborn when it came to the world.

Ferris chuckled, remembering the time that she first laid eyes on Ryu. Being a half-demon, something like compassion was never in her bones but the sight of Ryu’s pure eyes, so pure that it could probably paint the world white –– nothing else mattered.

Ferris lived her life roaming town to town. In those dark days she knew the viciousness of humans and the other race. She’s a half demon but it didn’t mean that she enjoyed savagery all the time.

Most often, she just wanted a place to rest and lived life in slow and peace. But she realized she couldn’t have it in this realm. She let herself be captured so she could traverse into the demon realm and see if what she was looking for was there.

And just as she lost hope, she felt peace and comfort in the eyes of a halfbreed and her world suddenly took a turn.

It may sound absurd, unbelievable even. But at that moment, Ferris no longer thought of anything but protecting Ryu from the tainted world.

“Alright. Enough talking. Let’s get you all cleaned up.”

Ferris stoop to his feet, and Ryu eyed her cautiously without moving. One wrong move and he would rip her throat even if he used all his strength.

But to Ryu’s surprised, his body began to feel light as his whole being was cloaked in sparkling black dust.

[Diamond dust]

Ferris blinked, and at that single blinked, Ryu’s scars and wound all closed. Even the muscles that were torn were stitching back together. The bones sticking out were reformed and holes were replaced by flesh, and Ryu was back on his feet, good as new.

Ryu was startled. It was the first time that he felt something so wonderful. Not even food could make him feel that way. He roamed his eyes all over his body in surprise. Then he looked at the girl in front of him.

“. . .”

“. . .”

The two of them blinked as they tilted their heads to the side.

Ferris waited for Ryu to say something.

Ryu waited for Ferris to do that again.

A pair of eyes stared at each other. Red that glimmer and sparkled like blood while the other glowed in amber like gold.

Ryu no longer harbored any thought on attacking the girl. He was like a loyal dog after someone gave him food. It was the first time that Ryu experienced such kindness coming from someone. All his life, all he ever knew was killing and being tortured.

“Let’s go. There’s food in my room.” Ferris glanced at Ryu before she turned and walked towards the inn.

Ferris took four steps before she turned and faced Ryu, who was still in the same spot without moving.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry?”

Ryu didn’t answer and remained unmoving, even though his stomach grumbled in protest.

Ferris blinked, and then she clapped her hands. “I know. You’re afraid that you’ll make Cecily mad at you for disobeying her, right? She did say that you’re not to eat.”

When having dinner at the inn, Ferries asked Cecily why Ryu wasn’t joining them. When Cecily answered that Ryu would not be fed until she said so, Ferris almost killed the spoiled woman then and there. But thinking that she was Ryu’s’ mate, she endured.

Ferris knew that killing a beastman’s mate he would rampage in a killing spree without any regards for his life. Besides, Ferris was not confident of escaping the master-servant seal. She never tried it before.

She was not willing to kill Cecily solely because it meant that she would be killing Ryu in the process.

And even if she wanted to escape together with Ryu. She doubted Ryu was willing to leave Cecily’s side. Ferris could only stick around and endure.

Ferris chuckled. “You sure are naïve. She won’t be angry at you if she won’t know.”

Ryu’s brows knitted, but his human side was wavering at Ferris enticement.

Ferris nod her head towards the inn, urging Ryu to follow her. “Come on.”

Then she turned but not without glancing and gave Ryu a mischievous grin. “I have roasted meats and all sorts of food that you could only imagine in your dreams.”

That got Ryu’s attention. All the food in prison was bread and water. If he killed in a gruesome manner, he was rewarded with roasted meat which happened to be his favorite food.

Well, coming from Ryu’s list of food, that was the only one that was tasty.

Ryu was still hesitant. But when Ferris took a turn and disappeared inside the inn, he ran after her.