Caitlyn was already regretting her choices. Once Germaine patched up Leon, Caitlyn didn’t waste time shooing her out the door.
It wasn’t that she was heartless–she had a heart, somewhere. But Germaine? That girl had been a nonstop chatterbox since the second they met.
I’m gonna lose it if she keeps yammering, Caitlyn thought, pinching the bridge of her nose. Who could deal with a demon mosquito buzzing in their ear all day?”
Okay, “mosquito” might’ve been a tad harsh, but keeping Germaine around was out of the question.
Still, when Germaine pulled those big, pitiful puppy eyes and pleaded to crash at Ekavine, Caitlyn’s resolve wobbled. She couldn’t quite bring herself to
Having Germaine nearby might actually come in handy, especially with a half–dead stray like Leon sprawled across her house. If things went south, Germaine could clean up the mess
Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed as she glared at the guy slumped on her couch.
A pang of doubt twisted in her gut. “What
at kind of hex am I under to let this idiot stick around?”
Her mood soured further as she sighed, her gaze fucking to the bloodstains seeping into the sofa.
That sofa had cost her a fortune.
“And the carpet’s a soggy disaster,” she muttered, her voice dripping with irritation. “You better believe you’re paying me back ten times over when you wake up, pal
Grumbling under her breath, she turned and stalked off. He wasn’t gonna kick the bucket… probably.
As the night deepened, the faint hiss of water echoed from the bathroom, the door locked tight. Leon lay sprawled on the couch, still as a tombstone. If not for the subtle rise and fall of his chest, he could’ve passed for a corpse.
Caitlyn stood under the steaming shower, tilting her head toward the warm glow of the heater, eyes half–closed. Her mind churned, dragging up years of clashes with Lean.
‘Why’s he stuck in my head like a bad song?” she thought, a flicker of annoyance sparking in her chest. They were opposites through and through, but their fights were never life–or–death. More like sparring matches, pulling punches before things got too real.
Truth be told, they’d practically grown up trading blows, each scrap making them sharper,
No wonder he had the gall to think they were pals.
Her fist clenched, nails digging into her palm. A sharp glint of crimson flashed in her glassy eyes.
“That jerk’s got a personality like a rusty nail,” she huffed, her temper flaring. “How dare he limp in here all pathetic, making me feel like the bad guy!”
She shot a glare at the ceiling hall–expecting it to cave under her fury. No such luck.
“Get it together, Cait, she scolded herself, letting the red glow fade from her eyes as she sank back into the shower’s soothing warmth.
Three days and two nights crawled by, and Caitlyn was hanging on by a thread. The blood–crusted lump on her couch was stinking up the place, and her patience was long gone. One more day, and she’d haul him out herself, no matter how much he groaned.
Then, finally, he stirred. Leon’s eyes cracked open, dark and hazy, locking onto Caitlyn’s annoyed scowl as she loomed over him
She was cute when she was pissed,
1/3
새 67%
Chapter 4
Like him, the Demon Lord’s true face wasn’t exactly common knowledge.
Most folks pictured her as some hulking, nightmare–fueled beast.
But, she was no manster.
Lean’s mind, thick with log, cleared just enough to take her in. Two lifetimes, and he’d never laid eyes on anyone as breathtaking as Caitlyn
The so–called starlets from his past life’s entertainment world? They weren’t even in the same league as her.
It wasn’t just her looks–her presence, her grace, everything about her was magnetic,
But honestly, even if one only looked at her beauty, Caitlyn could outshine the rest of the world.
Case in point–those soft, smooth thighs right in front of him. No one could resist
Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed as she coldly remarked, “Well, look at you. Barely awake, and already checking out my legs?”
Leon stayed quiet, trying to sit up from the couch, but the second he moved, a searing pain hit him like a tidal wave.
It felt like his body was being torn apart, and the pain nearly made him pass out again. He gritted his teeth, doing his best to stay conscious.
Caitlyn noticed the flicker of pain on his face, the way he tried so hard to hold back a scream.
She caught the bead of sweat rolling down his forehead, and a small, amused smile curled at her lips. “Hmm, you were all pitiful and down in the dumps when you first showed up. Looking like a lost puppy. And now, after one nap, you’re suddenly back to playing tough?”
by still wracking his body. He didn’t say a word, biting back the urge to whimper.
Leon clenched his jaw, the agony s
He was too proud to show any weakness.
If he spoke now, he might break down. And that? That would be beyond embarrassing,
To Caitlyn, though, his silence only looked like stubbornness.
She shook her head with a soft chuckle. “If it hurts, just say so. You know, I won’t laugh too loudly.”
Lean’s lips twitched. He shot her a brief glance but said nothing, his eyes squeezing shut as he tried to focus on anything other than the pain.
Caitlyn wasn’t bothered by his silence. She’d gotten used to him being around these past couple of days.
At this point, the only difference was that the “decoration” in her living room had started moving.
According to the intel from Germaine, things were in utter chaos within the Human Alliance because of him.
One guy, single–handedly taking on the entire Hero Association? Wounding or killing multiple 5–ranked heroes, leaving a trail of destruction, and still walking away mostly unharmed?
Well, “limping away” was probably the more accurate description.
Even though the Alliance didn’t throw everything they had at him, it was still an act that would make anyone take notice.
But Caitlyn wasn’t worried. Right now, he was just a wounded pup, licking his own wounds.
She’d taken pity on him, letting him rest in her home for a while. Nothing more.
Ding-
Leon immediately turned his head toward the door, a wave of deadly intent rushing through him.
2/3
12:53 Fri, 13 Jun
Chapter 4
DG
67%
Caitlyn glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. “It’s just my takeout. Relax. You think the Human Allance is dumb enough to show up at Ekavine City?”
Leon didn’t answer. Instead, he slowly turned away, curling up slightly.
The pain was unbearable, and it felt like it would never stop.
The barbecue was pure heaven. When Caitlyn popped the lid, a smoky, slightly spicy aroma burst out, filling the room like a sorcerer’s charm. Her eyes lit up with hunger, her stomach practically growling in excitement.
She didn’t even glance at Leon, just grabbed her fork with a smirk and got ready to dig in like a beast.
Food safety in Ekavine? Never an issue. You could’ve eaten off the cobblestones and been fine. Caitlyn felt smug about it, knowing this city’s standards put others to shame.
The place was a contradiction. It seemed like a peaceful haven where regular folks lived simple lives, but it was also a chaotic mess waiting to explode.
Beyond the city lord’s strict decrees, no one know how many dangerous weirdos hid in the shadows of the City of Chaos.
This rundown shack, for example, housed a former Demon Lord, brooding in the comer, and the renegade hero who’d defeated her before ditching the Human Alliance.
Anyone foolish enough to sell bad goods to this crew? Man, there were cleaner ways to end it all
If the wrong people caught them, they didn’t just die–they begged for it.
That was why Ekavine’s quality of life was unmatched, leaving the Human Alliance’s cities in the dust.
Security, though? That was another story.
The city guard always swore they had it handled, but Caitlyn rolled her eyes, unconvinced.
Still, with the city lord’s terrifying presence keeping things in check, no real trouble ever erupted.
Grumble-
A sound like a thunderstorm ripped through the room, straight from the guy curled up on the sofs, Leon’s face flushed scarlet, his hands twitching as he wished the floor would swallow him whole.
Caitlyn paused, a bite of food halfway to her mouth, her lips curling as she fought a laugh. She turned slowly, locking eyes with Leon, who looked like he’d sell his soul to disappear,
“Yo, was that thunder, or did your stomach just declare war?” she teased, her grin sharp as she leaned in, relishing his embarrassment.
