Chapter 190 - 26: I Want You to Always Be With Me

Chapter 190: Chapter 26: I Want You to Always Be With Me

Inside the attic.

Selas sat by the bed, glancing up at the window from time to time. His youthful face was unexpressive, but his eyes betrayed a deep-seated worry.

’...He shouldn’t have let her go out.’

She was being hunted, forced to make a deal with him just to hide from those searching for her.

’In her state, even for a Demon, how much power could she really have?’

’What if she got lost?’

’What if someone else found her?’

’What if she got caught and handed over to the Mages hunting her?’

’She’s so small... If she gets caught, she won’t be able to resist at all.’

Slivers of regret gnawed at his insides.

’Really, it wouldn’t have mattered if I’d gone a day without eating.’

’My own physical needs were nothing compared to Lilia’s safety.’

He looked up and out the window for the umpteenth time.

Finally, a thumping sound came from the window.

That was their agreed-upon secret signal. Hearing it meant Lilia had returned safely.

Selas shot up, took down the jacket blocking the wind, and pushed the window open.

The moment the window opened, a fierce wind carrying threads of rain beat against Selas’s face like hail.

He, however, didn’t seem to notice as he scanned the area outside.

Then, his gaze froze on something.

The sheltered young boy felt his worldview shatter.

Clinging to the bottom of the window frame were two white front paws. Following them up, the rain-soaked, jet-black fur of a cat came into view.

Of course, that wasn’t the important part.

The important part was the piece of cloth tied around the black cat’s neck.

Attached to the cloth, a bundle slightly larger than its own body was strapped to its back.

Like a little kitten running away from home with all its luggage.

Normally, carrying something so heavy should have hindered its movement.

But a Demon’s Constitution could never be judged by common sense.

With a push of her front paws clinging to the frame, Lilia leaped through the open window and into the room.

It took Selas two seconds to react. He tore his shocked gaze away from her, quickly shut the window, and sealed it once more.

He hesitated for a moment before walking over to the cat and crouching down.

She had just shrugged the bundle off her back.

Selas couldn’t help but ask, "...Lilia?"

His answer was a dense spray of water droplets.

The cat was shaking its body, its skinny frame moving so fast it was almost a blur as it flung off most of the rainwater.

Selas wiped the water from his face. "...I’ll go get you a towel."

"Meow."

A faint meow sounded as her white-gloved front paw patted the bundle.

She hadn’t said a word, yet Selas understood her meaning without any trouble.

’No need for a towel.’

’The food is here.’

’Hurry up and eat.’

Selas fell silent for a moment but went to get the towel anyway.

He sat down next to Lilia, covered the entire cat with the dry towel, and began to gently rub her fur, bit by bit.

He only stopped when her fur was mostly dry.

Selas didn’t ask why she didn’t change back, why she was still in her cat form.

Following Lilia’s earlier gesture, he unwrapped the bundle, which was not too large, but definitely not small either.

He hadn’t been expecting much. For a Demon who was new to this place and had limited mobility, just managing to bring back food was a miracle in itself.

Besides, he had been eating nothing but scraps for the past six months and had long grown accustomed to a coarse diet...

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Selas froze at the sight before him.

Inside the tablecloth was a sumptuous feast that far exceeded his imagination.

A neatly arranged large lobster, its tail alone half the length of his forearm.

There were stacked beef and lamb chops that, despite looking like the cheap meat patties sold at street stalls, emitted a rich, greasy aroma that was countless times more potent than any synthetic meat patty.

And in the corner, a small piece of cake...

He could see how much effort the Little Demon, transformed into a cat, had put in to bring it back intact.

She had used two square containers to cover it from top to bottom, ensuring the frosting wouldn’t smear on the tablecloth or collapse from the bumpy journey.

Although the frosting had inevitably smeared against the inside of the container during her travels, making it look a little messy, but...

Selas’s gaze lingered on the cake, its original shape still vaguely discernible.

After a long moment, a questioning "Meow?" interrupted his thoughts.

"No."

Selas’s voice was low and slightly hoarse. "I don’t dislike it."

To prove it, he quickly got to work.

Lilia had even thoughtfully prepared a knife and fork, tucked in a corner of the tablecloth.

He picked up the sharp knife and deftly cut the lobster meat and chops into small pieces.

He didn’t eat any himself. Instead, he used the lobster shell as a bowl and placed the pile of meat in front of the little cat.

Lilia didn’t stand on ceremony.

She had just discovered that maintaining her black cat form not only caused her no discomfort but also allowed her to conserve some Demonic Qi.

This was probably because Demons were beings of pure energy, with no fixed physical form. They usually maintained a human appearance by convention, simply for the convenience of battle.

Now that she was seriously injured and in the Mortal World where she couldn’t replenish her Demonic Qi at will, she naturally had to save every little bit she could. It would even help her escape faster if she ran into danger.

As the great hero who had brought back the food, Lilia accepted the offering with a clear conscience.

The black cat lowered her head, her little pink tongue flicking in and out, curling around the perfectly-sized pieces of meat and drawing them into her mouth.

The moment the food was swallowed, it instantly transformed into pure Demonic Qi.

Lilia’s eating paused for a second.

’...What a pleasant surprise.’

’Food from the Mortal World can provide power to a Demon?’

’It’s very faint, but it’s better than nothing.’

’And with the 2x multiplier from my [Monarch] talent...’

Lilia started eating with even more gusto.

She was eating so fast, she even started making soft purring sounds.

Seeing her eat with such relish, apparently enjoying the taste, Selas’s tense body finally relaxed a little.

Only then did he feel the hunger in his own stomach.

He bit off a piece of meat and chewed it slowly.

The rich, savory aroma exploded in his mouth, searing every one of his taste buds. Saliva filled his mouth, making him desperate to swallow and take another bite.

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t eaten proper food in so long.

Or perhaps...

It was the sound of chewing, mixed with soft purrs, that was so mundane—so normal it felt like a life he could no longer experience.

Selas was suddenly overcome by a sense of satisfaction so profound it was almost a tremor.

Happy, yet illusory.

As if he were in a beautiful dream.

’Speaking of which...’

’He hadn’t even had a happy dream in a very long time.’

On a sudden impulse, he spoke.

"You said before... that you’d grant me anything."

Lilia, who had been burying her face in her food, looked up.

Her pale gold pupils held a trace of curiosity as the cat tilted her head, looking at him.

’It was as if she were asking, *Aren’t I already helping you?*’

Selas looked at her for a moment, wanting to say...

’That’s not it.’

’That wasn’t what I wanted.’

’Not a sumptuous feast.’

’Nor some other Magic that could work a miracle.’

’But rather...’

"...Never mind."

After a long hesitation, Selas simply reached out and stroked the cat’s soft fur.

"Thank you. The food is delicious."

"Meeow~"