Chapter 444 - 444: Substitute Bride of the Demon King (48)

Yue Ran felt a quiet satisfaction bubbling within her as she observed the unfolding situation. She wanted to see this result. However, she feigned a strange expression on her face, her brow furrowing and her eyes widening as she turned to him.

"But isn't that your precious sword?" she exclaimed. "It has been with you for so long; are you truly going to sell it? Can you truly bear the thought of parting with it? Will you not regret it?"

For a knight magician, relinquishing his sword was not merely a financial decision— it was a profound sacrifice that shattered the very essence of his honor and identity.

Andre understood this, but after a moment of silence, he slowly nodded and said, "Yes, please sell it. Anyway, I can't use it in my current condition."

Yue Ran stepped forward, her fingers delicately wrapping around the hilt of the elegantly crafted sword still nestled in its ornate sheath. The air pulsed with a strange energy, as magical tools like this one often did, each imbued with its own unique essence, naturally extraordinary. As if aware of its looming destiny, the sword quivered slightly, emitting a low, melancholic hum that resonated through the quiet room.

The young woman placed the sword on the table and said, "Alright, then I will sell it tomorrow and return with more medicine."

Andre locked his gaze onto the weapon that had once been his companion in countless battles and said nothing. A heavy silence enveloped him as he contemplated the loss.

Yue Ran could sense the dark clouds hanging over the man; his bad mood was palpable, but this was what she wanted.

In the original plot, in order to earn money for Andre's treatment, the original soul of the body had poured everything into working, painstakingly embroidering intricate designs on countless garments, taking on any errand that came her way, and tirelessly toiling each day, all to scrape together enough money for Andre's medical treatment.

She firmly believed that since she had treated the other person with sincerity, she should also be met with equal warmth from Andre in return. The weight of this expectation settled heavily upon her, igniting a determination within her to ensure her efforts were not in vain.

Unexpectedly, when the original soul of the body mentioned the sword, Andre's expression darkened. His voice dripped with contempt as he accused her of intentionally mocking him and ridiculing him for clinging to the sword despite being a useless man. He questioned and speculated about her motives with the most malevolent thoughts, convinced that she was taking pleasure in his perceived failures.

In short, when a person harbors deep resentment or animosity towards you, no matter how generous or kind you may be, or how much you pay for them, they will only interpret your gestures through a lens of suspicion, assuming that you are driven by hidden agendas or malicious intent even when you don't.

This warped view persists, overshadowing any genuine goodwill you may offer, leaving them unable to see the sincerity in your intentions.

In the end, as expected, the original body was betrayed by Andre and tortured to death.

After smoothly resolving the money issue, Yue Ran felt relieved. Glancing at the dimming light outside, she realized how late it had become. With a gentle tug, she began to untie the delicate ribbon that secured her dress, preparing herself for a peaceful night's rest.

However, her actions made Andre's eyelids twitch. He, who was lying on the bed, instinctively turned his face away. A deep frown creased his brow as he asked, "What are you doing?"

Yue Ran seemed entirely at ease in the moment, her demeanor relaxed and unflustered. She cast a sidelong glance at him, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief, and responded very naturally, "Of course, I am going to rest." She raised a brow. "What else do you think I am going to do?"

Andre's eyelids twitched even more. He felt a rush of embarrassment wash over him, and a faint flush crept up his cheeks, painting his face with a rosy hue. Overwhelmed by her directness, he couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze, his head bowing slightly as he struggled to compose himself.

"But why are you in my room?" Andre asked. "I remember that this cabin has two bedrooms. As a woman, how can you stay in the same room with a man?"

How could this young woman be so bold?

When he spent time with Ellie, they chose to keep their distance, resting in two separate rooms. Nothing intimate occurred between them. They had never even shared a simple hug or held hands together.

Upon hearing this, Yue Ran could not help but glare at him.

"How dare you talk about another room?" Yue Ran gave the man a snort of disgust. "When you were fighting, you nearly demolished the whole place. The other bedroom is in tatters, and even the roof has collapsed. Do you want me to live there?"

Andre had forgotten about this, but it was still not right for them to share a bed. He shook his head and insisted, "No, men and women should not be intimate before marriage. How can we… how can we share a room? This is not right."

Yue Ran blinked, then squinted with a smile.

"Indeed, what you said makes sense," Yue Ran replied. "How about this: you sleep on the floor and I sleep on the bed. Is that okay?"

Andre's body stiffened for a moment, his face turning even redder as he locked eyes with her, a mix of shame and vulnerability evident in his expression.

"You know that I…" he began, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before he finished speaking, Yue Ran interjected. Her laughter rang out, clear with irony, as she deliberately found fault with him by saying, "So, what the Lord Magician means is that he wants me, a weak woman, to sleep..."