18
A Cold Autumn in October.
Today, Erika didn't go to work after yesterday's incident. Moreover, the overflowing demonstrations made the highways impassable. She spent the entire day wasting time watching movies or taking walks—there was no sign of Adzriel today. Something inside her felt empty.
This afternoon, Erika sat on a park bench.
The same park where a passage leading to the government building was located.
The deeper Erika was drawn into power and the world's temptations, the more she realized that everything she had done was a grave mistake. Yet, there was still a lingering fear of losing the worldly pleasures Adzriel had granted her.
The park was quiet this afternoon.
She couldn't remember the last time this place had been crowded; it felt like ages since she had been here.
She was always too busy working.
This was the first time in over two years that she had taken a break. Normally, her two-day weekly break was spent going to the salon or shopping.
But this time, for some reason, it felt incredibly heavy to spend the money she had earned from the Devil.
Alone in the park, Erika held a cup of coffee in the cold afternoon air. Winter would soon arrive.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
Tap… Tap… Tap…
The sound of footsteps suddenly reached Erika's ears. She turned toward the source and saw Roberto walking toward her.
She immediately stood up. The old man, with his white hair, had a worried look on his face. It was unusual—Rob was always smiling and friendly, even when everyone treated him coldly, as if he were just a mere servant.
"Miss Erika!" Rob called out, grabbing both of Erika's hands in a panic.
"What's wrong, Rob? Is everything okay?" Erika asked. The old man weakly shook his head.
"Why aren't you at work?" Rob questioned.
"I… I'm not feeling well. I needed some quiet," Erika answered, unwilling to reveal what the president and his allies had been doing now that she knew everything.
"Is something wrong, Rob?" Erika asked again, sensing the distress in his face and movements.
"The palace is in chaos," Rob said.
"Yes, I know. The protesters might force their way inside. We need to evacuate everyone in the building," Erika replied.
"No, it's not because of that," Rob corrected her, his panic intensifying.
"Then what?"
"The people inside are in a frenzy… they're panicking about something," Rob explained, his eyes filled with fear.
"What? Why?"
"I don't know! But if you want to survive, you have to come with me," Rob insisted, gripping Erika's hand and pulling her with him without waiting for her permission. Though she initially felt uncomfortable, she understood—it had to be something urgent.
"ERIKA…!"
A deep voice echoed from a distance.
Erika and Roberto froze in fear.
They turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing there was Adzriel.
Roberto's face turned pale, and without hesitation, he released Erika's hand and ran away.
Adzriel approached Erika, grabbing her possessively by the waist, pulling her close to him.
"Let's go home," Adzriel commanded, tugging at her waist. But Erika remained still.
"I said, let's go!"
Erika stayed silent, thinking hard about what was happening.
"You were gone all day, and now you suddenly appear, scaring Roberto," Erika remarked.
"Hmm… You'll find out soon enough," Adzriel smirked. Then, without warning, he grabbed Erika's wrist. Like it or not, he was taking her away from there.
They walked home on foot. The sky darkened; the evening had passed.
Adzriel's eyes glowed a fiery red in the night.
"Your eyes are red. I like them better when they're sapphire blue," Erika commented, holding onto his strong arm along the way.
"It means I'm angry," Adzriel responded.
"Did I make you angry?" Erika asked worriedly. She had only been sitting in the park—was that a mistake?
"Do you think I'm mad just because you sat in the park?" Adzriel chuckled.
"Of course not, my dear. There's… something else," Adzriel muttered, his gaze lowered—unusual for him.
"Can you stop hiding things from me? I want to know what's going on," Erika urged.
"For what? You wouldn't be able to help," he retorted coldly.
His words left Erika silent. She tried to pull her hand away from his grip, but Adzriel wouldn't let go.
"Let go!" she protested, struggling, but he held on firmly.
"You'll run if you find out. You always try to leave me," Adzriel said.
When they arrived at Erika's home, she shoved Adzriel away and quickly slammed the door shut, locking it. She let out a frustrated sigh.
Adzriel, confused, remained still with a blank expression.
Did she forget that I am the Prince of Darkness?
Erika stared at the door.
He didn't break it down or walk through it. He must have left, she thought.
She turned around—only to bump her head into something hard and solid.
Rubbing her forehead from the impact, she looked up and found herself face-to-face with Adzriel's broad chest.
"What are you doing?" Adzriel asked.
"What am I doing? What are you doing standing there? You should have left! This is my house," Erika snapped.
"Ah, have you forgotten who gave you all this luxury? If I were you, I'd be on my knees, surrendering my soul and my bare body to the one who blessed you with all this," Adzriel grinned wickedly.
"You pervert!" Erika rolled her eyes.
But then, something caught her attention.
Adzriel always wore his long cloak, but his chest was always exposed.
And now, on his chest, there was a deep wound—a large gash.
Startled, Erika instinctively reached out to touch it.
The wound was still raw, and inside it, flames seemed to flicker and burn.
The moment she touched it, Adzriel let out a quiet groan.
"Does it hurt?" Erika asked, looking up at him. She noticed the slight crease in his brow—a sign of pain.
"Yes, especially when you touch it," Adzriel admitted.
"Did something happen to you?" Erika questioned.
"I already told you—even if I explained, you wouldn't understand."
"Fine, then. Go to hell," Erika huffed, turning to leave.
But before she could walk away, Adzriel grabbed her by the waist, preventing her from escaping.
There was no point in hiding it from her any longer.
Erika was reckless.
Adzriel worried something would happen to her.
It was better to tell her now.
Because, in the end, she would find out anyway.
"They want me to take your soul now," Adzriel finally admitted. "But I refused."
Then, he unfastened his cloak completely.
The wound was even larger than Erika had thought.
A long, deep, fiery gash stretched across Adzriel's pale, muscular torso.
Erika stood frozen, staring at it.
"Did they punish you?" she whispered, already guessing the truth.
Adzriel nodded.
Guilt washed over Erika.
Had Adzriel defied his own kind just to keep her out of hell?