Sleepless Night [18+]

Daevalia... Lady Daevalia... Lucy Daevalia...

I turned endlessly in my bed as my mind raced with a thousand thoughts. I was back in my room at the inn, dimly lit by four candles placed at the corners. 

It was a cold night, and the fireplace was empty, but the freezing atmosphere did nothing to calm the burning thoughts in my mind.

Four days had passed since I got reincarnated as Rin Stormborn, but I was yet to figure out how exactly it happened, why it happened, or why my magic was gone. 

And now, a new problem had emerged.

The Shadow Queen who'd destroyed the world in my past timeline was a beautiful black-haired woman known as Lady Daevalia. 

And the cold, intelligent girl who just so happened to know Rin Stormborn, was a beautiful, black haired girl named Lucy Daevalia. 

This couldn't just be a coincidence.

Right? 

I was interrupted by a series of knocks on the door. 

"Who is it?" I replied.

The door slowly creaked open.

It was the brown-haired innkeeper, standing at the doorway, with a flaming candle in her right hand.

"Pardon me, Lord Rin. But I noticed you haven't ordered any dinner."

I sighed. "I know."

"Would you like me to send something up?"

"No. There's no need."

"But you haven't eaten anything since you came."

"I said, no need!" 

My voice rose a bit higher than I anticipated and I noticed her eyebrows wrinkle. 

She was just trying to be a good host, and even though I was riled up, I had no right to act like a dummy. 

"Pardon me," I quickly apologized. "I'm not really feeling well. Just send me your best meal."

"What's the matter, my lord?"

"No worries. I'm just a little tense. That's all."

The innkeeper smiled mischievously. "I can send something up for that too."

"Will do."

She gently closed the door and left. 

My thoughts crept back in as soon as she was gone. I recalled the words of Theo on the night we met. 

"The House of Daevalia will destroy the world."

At this point in time, it was just an ominous prophecy, but I had already watched it come to pass.

I watched the Shadow Queen destroy the world. 

I could still hear it. The screams of the dying, as they were burned alive by the demons she summoned. 

Demons that could only be summoned by the Dark Affinity of House Daevalia. 

But Theo did mention that there were a handful of survivors scattered around the continent. So, how could I be sure that Lucy was indeed the Shadow Queen?

There was no certainty of that.

However, it couldn't be a coincidence that I got reincarnated in the past, as a silver-haired noble who had a friend named Daevalia. 

It was too precise to be a coincidence. 

It was almost as if I were intentionally sent here. 

Sent here to complete my mission. 

Once again, I heard a series of knocks, a bit quieter.

"Come in." 

This time, it was a stunning brown-haired elven lady, dressed in a long, black, and slightly revealing maid's gown. 

In my past life, I had heard tales of the beautiful elves of Viridale. But this was the first time I ever laid eyes on one.

She stepped into the room, carefully holding a wide food tray containing a loaf of bread, a large steak, and a steaming bowl of soup. She gently lowered it on a table in the corner of the room and turned toward me. 

I noticed she was not much older than I was, perhaps in her late twenties. Her pale skin glistened in the candlelight, like she had delicately applied oil on it.

"Thank you," I said. 

She smiled and gave a modest bow. 

"My name is Anna. Martha told me you needed some company for the night."

Martha was the innkeeper, I guess.

I nodded to the maid, and her smile widened.

She briskly walked back to the door and closed it, locking it afterwards and placing the key on the table, right beside the food. 

"It's so cold, my lord. Would you like me to light the fireplace?"

"No... Just leave it."

A mock frown appeared on her face. "I guess I have to find another way to keep you warm, my lord."

She slowly walked towards me, the wooden floorboards creaking with each step. When she was right in front of me, she took off her shoes and socks, tossing them behind her. She lifted her gown at a leisurely pace, revealing a pair of beautifully oiled legs. 

"It'll be rude of me if I don't offer to warm you up," she grinned.

In a slow teasing manner, she lifted my right hand and placed it on her right thigh.

I swallowed. Her skin was so smooth. 

"Your hands are cold, my lord," she giggled. "But don't worry, I'll make them warm."

Slowly, she began to rub my hand across her thighs, gently moving it higher beneath her. My heart began to race as I felt her thighs growing warmer in my palm. 

Instinctively, I placed my left arm around her waist and pulled her in, closer to me. I inhaled deeply, her warm scent reminding me of ginseng and cinnamon.

I began to press harder, massaging her thighs. In return, she let out a soft moan. 

"Lord Rin…"

At the same time, she leaned closer to me, until my face was right in front of her bulging chest. Her oiled breasts suddenly grew bigger, ready to fall out of her gown at any moment. 

I wanted to bury myself in them and forget about everything else. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not vanquish the horrors of the apocalypse that replayed in my mind.

"Stop."

Anna paused, surprised by my sudden change. 

"What's wrong, my lord?"

"Get up."

Without hesitation, she quickly got to her feet. 

I rose from the bed and walked straight to the table. I picked up the key and grabbed my black cloak from the bed.

I turned to Anna. She quickly averted her eyes and gazed downward, frightened and confused. 

Closing the gap between us, I lifted up her chin and kissed her gently on her right cheek. 

"You're beautiful," I said. "But there's something I need to do."

Her tension eased, and she managed to put on a smile. "I understand, my lord."

I pulled out a gold piece from my cloak and handed it to her. Then I unlocked the door and left the room. 

*****

Downstairs, the alehouse was almost empty, except for a few city guards drinking to keep awake.

I walked straight to Martha, the innkeeper.

"Back so soon?" She asked, "What's wrong?"

I shook my head. "Everything is fine. But I need to send a message urgently."

Martha called out to one of the men in the alehouse; a short, bearded fellow who looked as if he hadn't slept properly in a while. 

"He will deliver your message anywhere in Viridale," she assured.

"Good. I need to send a message to Frey's Coven."

Martha gasped, as if I had said something horrible. 

"What is it?" I asked. 

She shook her head and forced out a smile. "Nothing, my lord. What's the message?"

I pulled out a gold coin and handed it to her. 

"Tell them, 'I need a good night's rest'."

*****

The door to the alehouse swung open, and a young man dressed in a grey hooded cloak walked in. He carried a sword at his back, but the most noticeable thing about him was the long scar beneath his left eye.

I tapped my glass of wine three times on my table to gain his attention. When he saw me, he made his way to my table, and calmly placed himself in the seat beside mine. 

"You called for me, Master Rin."

I nodded. "I need your help."

He remained silent, waiting for my next order. 

"I know I hired you to give you a new life, but I'm afraid I'm going to need your old skills, one last time."

I pulled out a small brown pouch and handed it to him. He peeked in it briefly and pocketed it in his cloak. 

"What are your orders?"

I took one more sip of my wine, and let out a sigh.

"There's someone I want you to kill."