MOOD FOR LOVE (11)

We moved across the forest to the designated location. I thought I wouldn’t have to face Kerberos. This was because our mission was merely to remain in the rear to prepare for any potential betrayal or surprise attack from the enemy.

The hostage exchange was solely for the hero to handle in an official capacity, and we needed to stay behind for rear operations in case things didn’t go well.

“Who is that?”

But the moment Lena said that with the corners of her mouth raised, I realized our short plan had collapsed. This was because Kerberos was standing in the rear camp with handcuffs on. She was surrounded by soldiers, and Kerberos stood proudly in the middle of them like a wrongfully accused general.

“I don’t understand why a prisoner who should be at the front line has walked all the way here.”

When Ashuria spoke in a puzzled tone, we all nodded. The hero, realizing something had changed from the plan, frowned with an uncomfortable expression.

Kerberos.

Daughter of the Lucifer family and commander of the demon race.

She, who had once bravely commanded at the forefront of the demon race, greeted us with a blunt face. She wore handcuffs on her hands, and her face was gaunt, as if telling of the hardships she had endured. But her eyes were no less intense than any soldier here.

“Kerberos. Why is this person here?”

The hero asked in a sharp tone. This was because she should have been at the front line, which was busy preparing for the hostage exchange, not in this rear camp where we were. A soldier approached the hero and whispered:

“I’m sorry, Hero. She said she desperately wanted to talk…”

“I’ve come to talk.”

At the mention of talking, the hero looked at me. Kerberos nodded and shifted her gaze to me. She firmly held her handcuffs with her own hands and said, looking at me:

“Depending on this conversation, the entire hostage operation itself will change. The talk with your kingdom is already over.”

The hero looked at me. I met Kerberos’s eyes.

The person she wanted to talk to wasn’t the hero, but me.

In a situation where neither she nor I averted our eyes, it was the soldiers who felt uncomfortable. They were either alternately looking at us while gripping their spears or engaging in idle chat speculating about what would happen next. The hero said to me in a small voice:

“Will you be alright?”

“It’s a heavy burden, knowing the direction of the operation depends on me.”

“Do we need to wait longer?”

Kerberos lightly tapped the ground and spoke again. When she spoke, she wasn’t dependent. The commander who had shaken off delusion simply stood with a dignified posture, fiercely glaring at us. Not knowing what she wanted, I had to nod with a somewhat passive attitude.

Having obtained my consent, the hero said to Kerberos:

“We’ll prepare a separate place for you.”

“No, I’d just like these soldiers and your comrades to be far away. That’s sufficient. I don’t need a tent. I just want to talk one-on-one.”

The dignified face of Kerberos momentarily crumbled, letting emotions flow. Neither the hero nor I missed that brief moment, but it had no particular meaning. We just confirmed that her intentions weren’t malicious.

The hero patted my shoulder, and I turned back, carrying a full burden. Since we had crossed a wide forest before entering the camp, there were too many things here that could hide a secret conversation between two people.

The hero followed me into the forest, followed by Kerberos, Lena, and Ashuria. While moving, Lena whispered to Kerberos:

“What wind is blowing that made you want to talk?”

Kerberos scanned Lena’s face once, then ignored her question and walked forward. Lena momentarily hardened her expression and placed her hand on her waist, then rolled her eyes and regained her smile. Ashuria said to Lena:

“You restrained yourself well. You’ve grown up, Lena.”

“I’ve always been quite mature.”

When Lena made a joke, the sound of Mille laughing was heard. After we reached a point where the military camp was no longer visible, I placed my hand on a tree and said:

“This distance should be sufficient. Let’s talk here.”

The flags of the barracks now looked like a lighthouse in the vast sea, and there were no soldiers following us. No one thought Kerberos would run away. Although she had been a soldier of the demon race, she was now someone who couldn’t do such a thing. I was curious about why she wanted to talk to me.

“If that evil demon tries to do something, shout immediately, sir.”

Lena said that, and Ashuria nodded. The hero said to Kerberos:

“Be careful with your actions, Kerberos.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Kerberos nodded bluntly, and the hero, after hearing her words, tilted his head for a moment, then turned his body and walked forward. Kerberos’s curly hair was much more elastic and glossy compared to when she was imprisoned and tortured.

The footsteps grew faint. Kerberos closed her eyes and began counting. As she counted, the footsteps became softer, and when the last footsteps reached the edge of the forest, Kerberos opened her eyes and said:

“They shouldn’t be able to hear us now.”

Kerberos said that and looked at me. By her gaze and hesitant behavior, I could tell. She still loved me. The false love I had imposed on her in prison was still valid in Kerberos’s heart, making her awkward.

But I couldn’t let my guard down. Although Kerberos still loved me, something felt different. I could tell this woman was hiding something.

“…I’ve been thinking about you since arriving at the kingdom’s capital, but at some point, I developed a question I want to ask you.”

“…What is it?”

Kerberos plucked a leaf with her hand. I could also faintly smell the grass. Kerberos dropped the leaf she had plucked on the ground and said:

“The kingdom wants me to act as a spy. They asked me to become Daemon’s wife.”

She didn’t answer my question and spoke of something else. But I could understand what she was trying to say. During my silence, Kerberos continued:

“If I become his wife, he’ll lie about loving me like before, and thinking I won’t know, he’ll start coveting other women. Meanwhile, I’ll have to stay miserably and stupidly cooped up in the mansion. While listening to that story, I suddenly thought of you. I recalled the sweet words you spoke, and also when you said you loved me.”

Kerberos’s two eyes were staring at me piercingly. She blinked and asked me:

“…Did you really love me? Or am I being fooled by love again and doing something stupid?”

I didn’t answer. I knew what answer would be advantageous here. Tell her I loved her, then stroke her head and embrace her tightly. If I kissed her lips and warmly embraced her, Kerberos would surely believe it.

But that would be deception and hypocrisy. Although I didn’t answer, Kerberos continued:

“I heard humans have an interesting saying: ‘The one who falls in love first is at fault.’ Porter, I made one proposal to the kingdom. The agreement itself will be overturned, but in return, there’s a clever plan that could crush their army in one go. It’s a very dangerous path. We might face a counterattack. That operation is premised on the failure of the hostage exchange.”

Kerberos’s face turned red. She pushed back her hair and said:

“Even though I realized you whispered lies to me and that you were just playing with me to obtain information… I just couldn’t hate you. I was just a woman weak to love. I couldn’t hate you, and even when I tried to recall your detestable actions to hate you, my heart just kept pounding.”

I couldn’t say anything. Kerberos said:

“In the end, the one who falls in love first loses. If you say you love me, I will gladly be their spy for you. I will gladly become Daemon’s bride and risk my life inside the demon race for you. Until my life ends. I will do so.”

She looked at me. It was a challenging and proud face, but sadness was evident. She reached out her hand and caressed my chest. And she said to me:

“If you say you love me, with just those words, I will gladly be deceived.”

Just those words would suffice.

I could obtain a stable informant without having to attempt a dangerous operation. But my mouth wouldn’t move. It felt like I was selling her to the demon race. I had always thought I was cold-hearted towards the demons, but I recalled her vomiting at the sight of demon stones transforming into residents that day.

I recalled her image, unable to find words and only crying.

I thought of the soldiers who willingly threw themselves into what was nearly a suicide mission, smiling.

“…How cruel.”

Kerberos smiled.

“It’s what you taught me. Do you understand how cruel it is to play with emotions?”

I looked at her and raised my hand. Stroking her cheek, I opened my mouth.

“I…”