Movira turned her gaze back, looking at her, and answered quickly, “Everything’s fine. Erasia and Lina are handling it well—you don’t need to worry… Mm.”
She had originally intended to tell her about slaying all those who attacked Seraphina, but upon thinking it would make her recall those painful experiences, she closed her mouth.
After stripping away unnecessary details, Movira’s response was precise and efficient, like… reporting work.
Seraphina simply hummed in response, not knowing what else to say. She truly didn’t have the energy to ponder those governmental affairs; her earlier question was more like a powerless polite remark.
Upon hearing it, Movira’s heart sank even further; she looked at Seraphina’s pale and gaunt face, at the wounds still lingering on her features.
The worries she had prepared to express were all stuck in her throat, not a single word forced out.
She didn’t know what reaction Seraphina would have if she said them—would it make her happy? She didn’t dare gamble anymore.
“You look very tired.” Movira’s voice grew even lower, “Perhaps, I shouldn’t disturb your rest.”
She suddenly stood up, this action startling Seraphina.
“I’ll be right outside.” Movira looked at her, her eyes vacant like a dried-up ancient well, “If there’s anything, call me anytime.”
With that, she didn’t linger any longer, turning and leaving the room quickly.
Just a tall yet lonely back.
Seraphina was once again left guarding the empty room alone, her heart inexplicably feeling hollow.
Movira’s various behaviors left her at a loss; this enormous change made her unsure how to interact with the other in the coming days.
Moreover, she was very tired—a day’s energy was only enough for her to accomplish one thing; she had no strength left to deal with those complicated emotional entanglements.
A few minutes later, Dekalorin arrived at the door with a tray and also saw the dejected figure leaning against the wall by the doorframe.
Head lowered, like searching for something dropped on the ground.
This scene made Dekalorin pause her action of opening the door; she couldn’t help but laugh, though without sound.
The mighty Demon King, yet she had lost her once unrivaled demeanor; now she was like a child who had lost love.
Dekalorin didn’t understand—both were no longer young; she herself had figured it out, but Movira was stubbornly mired in this emotion that became increasingly clear with age.
For a moment, she even thought of some interesting “games,” ones that could provoke Movira’s truest inner self.
And the core of these “games” was to act…
“Movira?” She gently leaned close to the other’s ear, suddenly saying this.
“Ah! Ah?”
Movira was genuinely startled, but upon seeing it was Dekalorin, she quickly composed her distracted appearance.
“What’s wrong?”
Dekalorin casually placed the tray of food on a small table that appeared out of thin air, condensed by magic.
Then she stepped forward again, almost pressing against Movira as she stood, asking in an extremely serious tone.
“Movira, pardon my rudeness in asking… Are you really the Demon King right now?”
Movira was stunned by this nonsensical question, frowning as she looked at her, “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is…” Dekalorin extended her finger, almost pointing at the tip of the other’s nose.
“Are you sure your mind hasn’t been parasitized by some low-level creature? Or simply switched by someone? The one I’m facing now—is it really the Demon King Movira who makes the entire Demon Realm and even the human empire tremble in fear?”
“What are you saying! Nonsense!” Movira pushed her hand away, her voice carrying annoyed anger from being questioned, “Of course it’s me, the real deal!”
“Is it?” Dekalorin crossed her arms in front of her, looking her up and down, the doubt in her eyes unmasked.
“But it doesn’t look like it to me. The Demon King I know, when she wants something, always reaches out directly to take it, to snatch it, to fight for it! Even using the harshest means to firmly grasp what she fancies in her palm. Where is someone like you… guarding outside a door, like an abandoned puppy, pitiful?”
“You! You don’t understand…” Movira’s face turned extremely ugly from her words; she wanted to explain but was momentarily speechless.
Dekalorin didn’t give her a chance to refute, suddenly leaning closer, lowering her voice to deliberately create an ambiguous tone, her gaze seemingly drawing threads.
“Besides… we’ve clashed for so many years, fighting and parting ways. Surely in all these years, toward me… you’ve never developed even a tiny bit of… special feelings beyond rivals? Or more bluntly, affections?”
This explicit “confession” and Dekalorin’s feigned shy demeanor made Movira instantly break out in goosebumps.
She jerked back fiercely, her back thudding heavily against the wall, her face filled with pure disgust.
“Dekalorin, are you crazy?! Get away from me!!” she shouted sternly, her words full of incredulous revulsion.
However, seeing this appearance, not only was Dekalorin not angry, but a gleam of success flashed in her eyes.
That’s more like it! She should get angry, lose her temper, mercilessly drive away everything she dislikes!
“You can’t handle this?” Dekalorin chuckled lightly, intensifying her assault. She was similar in height to Movira; at this moment, she suddenly stepped forward, her arm slapping against the wall by Movira’s ear, thoroughly trapping her between herself and the wall, forming an extremely oppressive kabedon pose.
“I see you completely don’t understand, Movira.” Dekalorin’s gaze was sharp, as if dissecting the other’s heart.
“Then let me tell you what a true Demon King should be like when facing what—or who—she wants to obtain!!”
Movira was trapped in this narrow space; the powerful magic and undeniable aura emanating from Dekalorin, this rare feeling of being suppressed, made her extremely uncomfortable.
She wanted to use her power to push the other away, but suddenly realized this was their territory; her own power would be weakened.
Add to that Saint Eustacia’s three-chapter agreement and her urgent mindset toward Seraphina, which made her self-seal part of her power.
At this moment, she truly couldn’t break free instantly from the “cage” Dekalorin had deliberately created.
“Let go!” Movira could only struggle futilely, her tone unusually panicked.
Dekalorin’s face drew a few inches closer; in this unnoticed place, their breaths were clearly audible.
She ignored Movira’s resistance, her voice carrying a seductive, dangerous allure.
“You couldn’t be… still that pure-hearted Demon King who’s never tasted the flavor of romance, who doesn’t even know how to fight for it?”
Her fingertip was almost touching Movira’s chin.