Chapter 54

Demius walked forward with Melissa enclosed in his arms, feeling as though he might faint at any moment.

But he could not lose focus.

If he lost control now, Melissa could get hurt.

Gritting his teeth, Demius bit his lip hard to stay conscious.

Even so, his mind kept slipping away, and he had to bite his lip again and again to keep from losing himself.

Melissa was in his arms. Could this really be happening?

Of course, he had never intended for things to turn out this way.

The crowd had grown thicker and pushed from every side, and the only way to protect Melissa was to hold her within his arms. That was what he told himself.

“You shameless brute!”

He heard Natalianne’s angry voice from somewhere behind the crowd, but it no longer mattered.

All his senses were focused on one person.

The person he held between his arms.

The woman who was impossibly soft and precious, the most lovable being in the world. How could anything else matter?

It almost felt unreal, yet when he looked down to confirm it, her soft orange hair brushed against his chin like silk.

His mind drifted as he thought hazily.

‘If only time could stop like this.’

Then a dangerous idea flashed through his mind.

‘What if I just keep her?’

He snapped out of it, horrified by his own thought.

What was he thinking?

Like lightning striking through his chest, Demius widened his eyes and shook his head.

Yet a dark whisper slipped into his mind from somewhere unknown.

‘What happens after one year?’

Of course.

His jaw tightened unconsciously.

Melissa would leave his side forever.

‘Will you just let her go?’

Could he truly say goodbye so easily, when he already lost sleep each night thinking of her?

A shrill sound echoed inside his head. His expression darkened, his lips curling faintly.

‘You already know, don’t you?’

The way to never part from her.

Demius’s eyes grew murky.

His gaze on her soft orange hair became intense, filled with dangerous obsession.

What if he pretended to get lost in the crowd and disappeared with her forever?

And then…

“Mi-mi!”

Her voice jolted him back. The darkness in his eyes cleared instantly.

When their gazes met, her green eyes shone brightly, clear and pure.

“There, I found seats for three of us!”

“Yes.”

Demius turned his head to hide his face.

Ah.

The mask on his face pressed against his skin. He felt strangely relieved.

Thank goodness it covered him.

Relief was quickly followed by a rush of shame, confusion, and guilt that washed over him entirely.

What was I thinking?

How could I even imagine something like that about her?

How could I think something so unclean about someone so pure and precious?

‘You idiot.’

Demius wanted nothing more than to punish himself.

His clenched fist trembled, veins bulging, and a faint cracking sound came from his knuckles.

The pain of his nails digging into his palm wasn’t enough.

Then he felt something soft wrap around his hand.

“You’re bleeding.”

Melissa’s small hand gently pried open his fist.

When his palm opened, a thin line of blood trickled down.

“Ah.”

Melissa’s brow furrowed as she looked at him with worry.

“You must’ve strained yourself trying to protect me in the crowd.”

“No!”

At the sight of her tearful eyes, Demius’s chest dropped like a stone.

‘You fool.’

Not only had he harbored impure thoughts, but now he was making her worry as well.

He scolded himself silently and shook his head again and again.

“No, not at all. My palm just itched a little.”

“Your palm… itched?”

Melissa tilted her head, doubtful.

‘Damn.’

Demius grew anxious.

Even someone as literal as Melissa would find it hard to believe he hurt his hand because it itched.

Think, Demius.

Though his expression stayed calm, his mind was racing frantically.

Then suddenly, he pointed ahead.

“Look over there!”

“Huh?”

While Melissa turned to look, Demius snatched a few small insects buzzing nearby.

Got them.

He clenched his fist in silent triumph just as Melissa turned back.

“What was over there?”

“A bear rolled past with a ball. You must’ve missed it because it moved so fast.”

“A bear?”

Her eyes sparkled again.

‘Good, she’s distracted.’

Demius nodded hopefully, but Melissa soon looked at his hand again.

“Still, you’re hurt. We should see a healer instead of watching the circus.”

“I’m fine.”

So much for that.

Demius sighed inwardly but shook his head.

Then he said quickly, without hesitation,

“Actually, this isn’t my blood.”

“What?”

“It’s the mosquito’s.”

He opened his palm, revealing the crushed remains of three mosquitoes.

Speaking smoothly, he continued.

“You know how mountain mosquitoes can be vicious, right? This particular kind is native to this region and can drink about a hundred times its own weight in blood. Quite a nasty breed.”

“A hundred times?”

Melissa’s eyes widened.

Demius nodded firmly, his expression filled with authority.

“Indeed. A rare species. Luckily, I caught them before they drained me dry.”

“That’s a relief.”

Melissa gasped softly and then exhaled with visible relief.

It seemed to work.

Demius glanced sideways at her.

She looked convinced as she studied his hand with softened eyes.

‘I’m sorry.’

Even I’ve never heard of such a mosquito.

He licked his lips to wet them again.

Then Melissa pulled a handkerchief from her pocket.

“It must’ve itched a lot.”

“It’s fine now.”

When she tried to wipe his hand, Demius quickly took the handkerchief himself and wiped away the blood along with the insects.

Thanks to his quick healing, the bleeding stopped almost instantly.

Still, his palm stung faintly as he curled his fingers and smiled.

“Shall we go to the seats you found earlier? They’ll fill up soon.”

“Oh right!”

Melissa finally shifted her attention and walked quickly ahead.

Demius followed closely behind, protecting her path through the crowd.

But the further they went, the more uneasy he felt.

Why were there fewer people now?

When they had entered the circus tent earlier, it had been packed wall to wall.

‘The crowd is half what it was before.’

Scanning the area, Demius took a seat beside Melissa.

Then a loud voice reached him from above.

“You scoundrel!”

Natalianne stomped toward him, pointing an accusing finger at her brother.

“You really have no shame, snatching our teacher away like that!”

“You found us, impressive.”

Demius spoke flatly, as if uninterested.

“Of course. If I hadn’t, I was planning to blow up the entire tent.”

“An excellent idea.”

He smiled faintly, in a way that to Natalianne looked utterly smug.

“That way, the performance would’ve been ruined, and Lady Lily would never get to see the circus she’s always dreamed of. Brilliant plan.”

You little…

Sparks seemed to fly from Natalianne’s eyes. Demius met her glare with a cold, unblinking stare that could have frozen stone.

Crackle.

Tension surged again between the siblings.

Then Melissa’s gentle voice cut through.

“My, you two really get along so well.”

“Excuse me?”

“What?”

Both turned to her in shock.

What did she just say?