Chapter 31: Honesty came with a side effect
"No!" he cut me off instantly, voice sharp and firm.
"Oh...sorry, I went out of line," I retracted my hand completely. There was an uncomfortable sting in my heart that left a bitter aftertaste in the back of my tongue.
He got up then, straightened his back, and gently held my face. "It’s not that," his voice had returned to the gentle tone he always used. "The scar simply couldn’t be erased with healing magic."
"...oh?" I only realized I had been clenching my fists when I loosened them up. "Was it made by an artifact?"
"...Yes," there was a suspicious delay before he answered as he caressed my cheek softly. But he didn’t sound like he was lying either. Although, to be fair, it was in his right if he wanted to hide it too. "Sorry if I sounded harsh just now, sweetheart."
Ah, so that was why I felt heavy. That tone reminded me of the scary Natha that got pissed about me having so much rejection about being his bride. He had never shown that side of him again after, always the kind and sometimes mischievous demon.
I didn’t think that he would already have this much presence and influence inside my mind. Even the way my heart felt at ease with just his gentle words and caresses.
Why? Why were you being so good to me? I was an enemy that asked to be saved out of nowhere. It should be enough for him to just make me into his worker or anything—hell, I’d gladly be his spy inside the kingdom if he told me to. It would be understandable even if he turn me into his plaything.
If all of this gentleness was his trick to bring me to his side willingly, it was unnecessary. Not even the real Valmeier would be that shameless to ask for a miraculous cure for nothing.
It was heavy, this feeling of becoming comfortable in his presence. Perhaps because there was a looming problem shadowing my own emotions and conscience.
"...Natha,"