The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)
Chapter 397: Blood Does Not Lie

Chapter 397: Blood Does Not Lie

They didn’t think Valen would be in danger, but they surely didn’t think that they would see the man sitting on a chair as the magician trembling on his feet.

And there didn’t seem to be a fight--except for the bits of shattered stone on an elevated platform--so they couldn’t help but stare in astonishment, wondering what could possibly happened during the time they took to reunite and climb the tower.

"Forgive me...please forgive me..." they heard she beg. "Please forgive me. What...what should I do so you can forgive me, S-Sir...Master..."

She practically clawed at Valen’s trousers, and the little bird chirped aggressively at her, sending out a gust of wind to repel her from its master. Zarfa secretly wondered if it was because the bird worried about its master’s leg, or because someone unauthorized called Valen ’Master’.

Getting shoved a few steps away, the magician crawled back again. Only this time, she was careful not to touch the young half-druid; bowing her head low instead, almost prostrating.

"You know what the problem is with something like this?" they heard Valen’s soft voice. But that soft voice, being used for speaking coldly, sounded more eerie than vicious poison. "I can’t tell if you truly feel remorseful, or if you just want your power to be back."

Suddenly, as she heard Valen’s voice, Zerfa was reminded of something. It was a memory of when she was still on Earth, after she told Valen’s grandfather about how some of the nurses were treating Valen badly; perhaps doing the uncles and aunts’ bidding, or perhaps just out of their personal spite. Zarfa--Cecilia then--did not care. She wanted those nurses to receive punishment.

At that time, she didn’t understand what kind of person Valen’s grandfather was. She only knew he was kind and nice to Valen; sometimes even gave her a snack or two when she was in the room during his visit. She just thought he would make a complaint to the higher-ups and get those nurses to get their act together.

But when she eavesdropped on the head nurse’s office, she heard things she shouldn’t hear; a warning, that was borderline threat. No, it was a threat. She did not remember what exactly was being said, but she remembered the voice.

It was soft, as if he was talking about pleasant weather. But it was also cold, unfeeling, so casual in the way he mentioned things kids shouldn’t listen to.

The next day, all those nurses who treated Valen badly disappeared from the hospital. Not just because they were being suspended for a few days, no. They disappeared; from the hospital, from the city...Ceci didn’t even know if they were still alive.

Naturally, she never told Valen about this.

But even so...the blood of that man was running through Valen’s vein--or perhaps soul, considering the situation.

"I..." the magician, meanwhile, letting out a choked sound, and they realized in surprise that she was crying. "I dreamt of her every day! N-not just after this curse. I regret it, I promise! I regret it every second of my life--please...believe me..."

The humans looked at each other in confusion. What is this? It seems like Valen knew the magician? They were curious, but they knew they shouldn’t butt in, so they just stayed still and watched the event unfold. Valen looked fine, and it was enough for them.

"Do you think the way you behave reflects this remorse?" Valen did not ease his coldness. "I don’t believe my grandmother would ever teach you that."

The magician drew a sharp breath that got her choked and stuttered. After all, the half-druid was right; her Master never taught her to be conceited, to be arrogant, and to feel superior in front of the week. Her power, and her master’s teaching, were for the sake of living in harmony with nature.

But her master didn’t know...she never lived in the dark side of the world where the sun barely shone through incense fog and silky clothes. Her master didn’t know how corrupt human minds are. She didn’t know what power brought to a girl who had always been living in fear for her life and future. She didn’t understand the precarious mind of a girl who had been living as a shadow--the insecurity it brought.

Tsalinade wasn’t a pacifist druid. She was a human who, while craving her master’s undivided love, also longed to be acknowledged by her kins.

"I...I was wrong--no...I am wrong," she bit her already torn lips hard. "I had...I had wanted to look for her--for your mother...after, but...I was...afraid."

She uttered her words between tears, and they could see Valen clenched his fist. He remained cold, however, with a hardened jaw and stiffened lips as if he told himself he shouldn’t get swayed.

"I know...I knew that Master was no more and I tried to look for her--their--graves to apologize but--"

"How could you find it," Valen said bitterly. "When I don’t even know where it is."

He looked down at the magician who was slowly raising her face.

"When I don’t even know her face."

"I--I..."

"I knew my grandmother’s face from the book given by the elf, but how could I know my mother’s face, when she was already dead the moment my eyes could gain clear vision?"

Even from afar, they could see the magician shaking. They had no idea why, but she was afraid.

"Apologize to their graves?" Valen scoffed. "My grandfather’s body is destroyed to put a curse on you. Their graves?!"

It wasn’t just the magician; the Hero and his companions too, found themselves flinching from Valen’s raised voice. This was different from his act when they infiltrated the Lair.

This was real.

"Why don’t you cross the lake and pray for their forgiveness in front of the dead Tree, huh? Why don’t you?"

The clenched fist was now pointing at the window, in the direction of the land that was once his kingdom.

"Go," he said with a low voice that was filled with disdain. "Cross the lake. Apologize to every blade of grass and every inch of soil that no longer enjoys Mother’s blessing."

An anger, a fury that not even Zarfa knew Valen had permeated the hall.

"Go," the voice was firm and dry; like judgment. "And return what is rightful to me."

They all widened their eyes in shock.

"Y-you mean..." the magician looked at the window. At a land, which, if she properly maintained the illusion barrier, would still be the kingdom of druid.

And this young man, the young druid in front of her, might be its ruler.

"T-the kingdom?" she stuttered. "Y-you want me t-to get back...the kingdom?"

"There is no kingdom, Tsalinade," Valen let out a long, exasperated sigh. "There is no Great Tree, or the Heart of the Forest. There is no crown to be worn, no throne to be sat upon. What do you mean, kingdom?"

"But...then..."

"It is no longer a kingdom," Valen continued, tapping the armrest of his stone chair. "But from this island, to the place you called a border now--they should belong to Mother’s children."

That still meant he wanted the principality to be destroyed--or at least, for the current resident to be driven off, back to the other side of the lake.

"That...you can’t possibly think I could..."

Next to Zarfa, Fatia suddenly muttered. "The payment..." she rubbed her lips. "He mentioned he would tell us the payment here so...is this it?"

Zarfa frowned slightly and called out for her friend. "Valen...?"

The pretty face turned and the green eyes greeted them. "Oh, my friends are here," he said lightly, as if he wasn’t just ordering someone to fight a whole fief.

The humans glanced at each other and started to move closer, but the magician seemed to not register them. She was mumbling to herself with widened eyes. "Get back the land...how can I get back the land..."

"Umm..." Fatia looked at the magician briefly, before looking at Valen again, who was now getting up from the uncomfortable chair. "Do we...do we have to do it too? Is this the payment that you meant?"

Valen flashed the elementalist a sweet smile, before turning around wordlessly and walking toward the window.

A land for a land. Just looking at it like that, it seemed fair.

"Can you do it?" he asked no one in particular.

"But...my power is..."

"Oh, don’t worry about that; I can still give you a few drops of Amrita," he said, back in his ’merchant’ tone. "It will allow you to use your power temporarily, but the curse will never be lifted until I decide so."

Which means, the magician had to seek Valen frequently when the elixir’s effect waned. It allowed the half-druid to check if she still doing what was tasked of her.

"But to take back a whole principality...it would take a long time, and, not to mention...all the citizens..."

"That’s for you to find out the way," Valen shrugged. "Oh, but don’t worry. I’m still planning to do the purification within the week."

"Oh, yes--thank you..." Fatia reflexively breathed a sigh of relief.

Zarfa glanced at her friend’s face, trying to discern what Valen wanted. This kind of thing felt so grand and...for Valen to not care about the lives of common, innocent people was beyond weird. "Umm...Val, can’t we...negotiate?"

There was a flash of smile for a split second, but Zarfa caught it fine.

Valen turned and tilted his head. "Negotiate?"