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Chapter 88
Resentment
In the reception room of the Afron mansion, Demonic was waiting.
“……Selly, was he supposed to come today?”
Without question, from Venerucia’s perspective, he was the most unwelcome guest besides Clifford.
“Yes, today is my lesson day.”
But Senelia simply nodded lightly to Venerucia’s words.
He turned to her sharply.
Senelia’s face remained calm, unbothered.
A faint sense of betrayal flickered across Venerucia’s face.
So in the end—whether he had gone or not, Senelia would likely have returned to the grand duke’s mansion anyway.
If she didn’t want it leaked that she was learning sorcery from Clifford, then she could only meet Demonic at the Afron mansion.
Regardless of how distorted Venerucia’s expression became, the moment Senelia heard Demonic was waiting in the reception room, she headed straight there.
Venerucia, almost without realizing it, strode after her.
“You’re early, Demonic.”
“Since Lady Senelia enjoys learning sorcery so much, I wanted to teach her more.”
The exchange between Senelia and Demonic was openly cheerful.
At that scene, something welled up in Venerucia. He stepped forward and slipped an arm around Senelia’s waist from behind, pulling her against him.
Only then did Senelia and Demonic turn their eyes toward him.
Considering Venerucia’s tall, commanding presence, it should have been impossible not to notice him until now, yet the two seemed to exist in their own world.
That made Venerucia all the more displeased.
“It’s been a while, Demonic.”
Other than the first time, when he had personally met Demonic to select Senelia’s sorcerer, this was their first encounter since.
“Your Grace.”
Demonic bowed politely.
Venerucia knew his behavior was petty, but he simply stared at the bowing man without saying he could rise.
Men like Demonic were exactly Senelia’s type.
Not flashy, with fairly ordinary looks, moderately kind and gentle—a safe, unassuming character. Someone you could find anywhere.
If her preference had leaned toward men with exceptionally noble convictions, perhaps Venerucia would have been relieved.
But this man before him was more than capable of fitting Senelia’s ideals. That made Venerucia uneasy.
“Your Grace.”
When Venerucia stayed silent too long, Senelia prodded him.
“……Ah.”
Lost in thought, he let out a small sound as if awakened from a spell by her voice.
“Enough greetings. Sit, Demonic.”
At last, Venerucia gestured.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Only then did Demonic straighten.
He might well have taken offense, but no trace of humiliation appeared on his face as he moved to the sofa.
Truly, he was the very embodiment of a non-confrontational temperament.
“Your Grace? Aren’t you leaving?”
Senelia blinked at him in surprise.
Instead of leaving, he sat down beside her.
“I don’t need to. I’m curious about your lesson.”
If his aide Arante heard this, he would faint.
But Venerucia, shameless and brazen, added,
“Don’t mind me, just focus on the lesson, Demonic.”
Senelia stared at him in disbelief.
He was a man who radiated presence simply by existing.
Not to mention, his position as the empire’s sole grand duke and first in line to the throne.
And yet he told them not to mind him?
What ridiculous words.
“Your Grace, why would you sit in on a lesson? It’s in the ancient tongue—you won’t understand a thing.”
On this continent, Korean was referred to as the “ancient language.”
Because ever since the Clorakean thorns had appeared long ago, fragments of that language had sporadically been passed down.
“I’ll be fine.”
At his reply, Senelia wanted to say that the ones not fine were herself and Demonic.
“It’s all right, Lady Senelia. Shall we begin?”
But since Demonic accepted it, she lost her chance to kick Venerucia out.
And so, that day’s lesson began with the grand duke in attendance.
Venerucia was honestly shocked to realize that he couldn’t understand a single word of their conversation.
As royalty, he had mastered every language across the continent.
Yet this “ancient tongue” was so utterly unlike any of them, he couldn’t even guess at its meaning.
So instead of struggling to comprehend, he openly fixed his gaze on Senelia.
Better to spend time admiring her face than straining at incomprehensible words.
Of course, this only made Senelia uncomfortable.
Venerucia Afron was like a golden statue carved from diamond—his presence impossible to ignore.
With such a man staring so intently, how could she concentrate?
“Excuse me, Demonic.”
At last, Senelia paused her practice and turned to Venerucia.
“Your Grace, what are you doing?”
Her voice was edged with disbelief at the way he sat there, eyes locked only on her.
From her perspective, he had gone to the trouble of finding her a sorcerer, only to hinder her learning. She couldn’t understand it.
Normally quick-witted, Venerucia could also be curiously oblivious when it came to things he wanted.
Feigning innocence, he replied,
“Selly, I was looking at your face.”
He even looked pleased, for she had finally turned her gaze from Demonic to him.
“Your Grace, do you think I don’t know that?”
She was exasperated. What kind of stupid conversation was this?
“I don’t see the problem, Selly.”
He leaned closer.
They were already sitting side by side, so even the smallest shift shrank the space between them dangerously.
“Stay back, Your Grace.”
Senelia pushed against his chest.
But of course, he didn’t budge.
Her brow furrowed. At this rate, the lesson would never continue.
“Ben.”
So she smiled sweetly and called him by his name.
“Yes?”
His eyes brightened at her tone.
But her next words crushed his hope.
“Leave.”
And so, once again, Venerucia was driven out.
《“It seems you and His Grace are quite close.”》
After Venerucia left, Demonic spoke.
When no others were around, he naturally switched to Korean, as if speaking the empire’s tongue had always been awkward for him.
《“Ah…… Does it look that way?”》
Senelia’s cheeks flushed.
She felt embarrassed that they had bickered so childishly in front of another.
Whenever Demonic spoke Korean, she answered in kind—he had said it would help her grow accustomed to the language, which in turn would strengthen her sorcery.
So over the past days, her Korean had become much smoother than when she merely recalled it from memory.
《“Senelia, it seems you don’t hate Venerucia Afron.”》
At his sudden words, she froze.
He hadn’t called him “Your Grace” but by his full name.
It sounded oddly unnatural.
《“……Why do you suddenly say that?”》
She asked, wary.
But Demonic answered calmly, as if he hadn’t noticed her guard.
《“If not for the royals, your life wouldn’t have been so manipulated.”》
His words left her speechless.
Because truthfully—she had thought the same herself, once.
Yet before anything else, suspicion flared within her.
Could this be Clifford’s ploy? Or perhaps even Venerucia’s, testing her loyalty?
It was possible.
Clifford could have planted another Clorakean thorn to test her.
Venerucia could have sought out a sorcerer just to probe her intentions.
Clifford was such a man, and Venerucia had already been deceived by her once. Either case was plausible.
But as if he anticipated her doubts, Demonic added,
《“You must be wondering why I’d suddenly say this.”》
And his next words left her mind in turmoil.
《“The reason is simple. I despise the royals.”》
