Ch.134Chapter 134. It’s Not Your Fault for Being Sexy!! (Illustration Warning)

-Swoosh.

After returning to the bathroom, Merilyn Sutherland took time to catch her breath as she immersed herself in a cold bath.

While she could easily remove external impurities using magical power, it was impossible to cool down the heat rising from within her body on her own.

‘B-bathing together? Why on earth would he say something like that…!’

Of course, she had occasionally made sexual jokes toward him before, but that was when she had control of the situation.

Since this was the first time he had made advances toward her, even her usual light jokes felt cautious.

Because if she wasn’t careful, she might end up crossing the line with him that she had been guarding against all this time.

‘…Calm down, Mephisto. I was just flustered earlier. He’s not in his normal state right now.’

She had somewhat recovered from the earlier shock, and he seemed to have accepted her explanation to some extent.

In his current state, he would surely endure until her treatment was complete, which meant nothing would happen between them.

‘If I follow my heart now… we might not be able to continue our current relationship afterward.’

Even if she had been anticipating physical intimacy with him, that was something that needed to happen gradually, over a long period of time.

If she ignored that and gave in to her impulses, she might end up destroying him completely with her own hands…

‘Still, perhaps a little…’

Having reached this conclusion and made a firm resolution, Merilyn emerged from the bathtub.

Though her body had cooled down after absorbing the coldness of the bath, reducing her excitement, a tiny wish remained in her now-rational mind.

‘Someday, at least the possibility of being together…’

Not right now, but if she were ever given the chance.

She thought perhaps she could be allowed to confirm that hope a little, given the current situation.

***

“Ah, Ms. Merilyn. You’ve finished bathing… Kuhak!”

The moment she stepped out of the bathroom with these thoughts, a shocked exclamation burst from his mouth.

His body stiffened as he stared at her, but at least he didn’t rush toward her like before.

Perhaps he was instinctively frightened by her previous counterattack, or maybe he had developed some resistance to the power and could now endure it.

“M-Ms. Merilyn. Your clothes…”

“Shh.”

Whichever it was, if he could exercise enough restraint not to pounce on her, she could confirm her hopes.

With that certainty, Merilyn approached the bed where he was waiting and gently sat down in the center.

Her hair still had moisture that she hadn’t completely dried.

As droplets flowed down the curves of her body, his gaze followed them before fixing on the flesh concealed by black underwear.

“…Hyoseong.”

Though he was clearly suppressing himself, the fact that he didn’t avert his gaze made it easy to understand.

What she felt in the gaze that stared at her in this moment was clearly an emotion defined as “desire.”

Even though he wasn’t in his demon form, this was still an aspect of him, which meant her love was feeling lust for her.

“How do I look right now?”

Merilyn averted her gaze as heat rose within her again upon sensing this. She placed her fidgeting hands on her knees and asked him without confidence.

“Does my body look okay?”

-Gulp.

The sound of him swallowing hard as his throat tightened with tension.

His eyes trembled as they scanned her body, then he quickly turned away and began pressing his hands between his legs.

As if worried that his unseemly state might be revealed.

“…U-um, Ms. Merilyn.”

His voice came out sounding like it was crawling back into his throat.

The stiffening muscles of his body showed his effort to calm his mind, which had been thrown into chaos by the curse.

“You said you would treat me now, right?”

“Yes. As I mentioned earlier, I learned how to extract the power that demons handle during my travels.”

In reality, she was proficient at handling demonic power as a demon herself, but she hadn’t revealed her identity to him yet.

Even if she would reveal it someday, now wasn’t the time.

“But do you really need to be dressed like that for the treatment…”

“If you really want to…”

While hiding her identity, Merilyn gathered her breasts with both arms and began to send a precarious gaze toward him.

“If it’s too difficult for Hyoseong to endure… releasing that desire as much as possible could also be a method for treatment.”

Other demons would probably find this ridiculous if they saw it.

Demons were a cunning race that took what they wanted, dominated others except themselves, or pretended to serve others temporarily for their own benefit.

“B-but doing such things for treatment…”

“You already know. What feelings I have for you.”

But she had already acknowledged her feelings.

The pounding in her heart at this moment was clearly an emotion defined as love.

If the culmination of that emotion was to join bodies with the one she loved, then it was natural for her to desire a relationship with him, being true to that desire.

“You’ve probably guessed since our reunion that I’ve wanted to be like this with you.”

“……”

“…So if Hyoseong wants to, it’s okay. If someone like me is acceptable to you.”

Merilyn removed the arms that had been shyly covering her body, exposing herself completely.

As she did this, two emotions coexisted in her heart, fighting against each other.

On one side was the desire to be with him.

And on the other was the fear that she shouldn’t be with him.

“…I’m sorry.”

In the midst of this tightrope walk as she tried to see the possibility, he finally bit his lip tightly and expressed his refusal.

“I’m sorry. If only I had waited for you a little longer…”

A declaration of refusal despite being immersed in desire and seeing her provocative, scantily-clad figure.

But Merilyn wasn’t disappointed by this.

She had anticipated that he wouldn’t force himself on her.

All she wanted to know was whether his heart truly contained both the desire to prioritize his first lover and lingering attachment to herself.

“…No, it’s okay.”

Yes, he simply couldn’t prioritize her.

He clearly saw her as a woman, and he was genuinely regretful that he couldn’t be with her.

That alone was enough to see the possibility of them being together in the future.

“I was the one who asked you to forget me… and that was probably the best choice for you at that time.”

“But Ms. Merilyn, you risked your life for me…”

“Actually, I’m glad now. That someone other than me is with you.”

While part of her felt regret, an even greater sense of relief was beginning to fill her heart.

The act of withdrawing her outstretched arms to wrap around herself revealed fragments of the fear that had evoked such emotions.

“Whether someone like me, who hasn’t felt happiness for a long time, deserves to grasp it… if I’m given the opportunity to achieve it too quickly, I might even destroy our current relationship.”

“…Ms. Merilyn.”

“So you don’t need to feel too guilty. I’m fine.”

It’s just not now.

She would continue to orbit around him as she had been, winning his favor and growing her presence in his heart, waiting for the right time.

When she became accustomed to the situation and could control her desires to some extent, she would finally court him.

“Just a little…”

Just as she thought that was enough and was about to move away.

He suddenly closed the distance and tried to grab her withdrawing hand.

“Could you give me a little time?”

“Time?”

“I want to be with both of you…”

“……”

“…That’s what I’ve been working toward all this time.”

The love that directed a firm gaze toward her despite writhing with desire and guilt.

Just by facing that, Merilyn could feel how straight and clear his sincerity toward her was.

“So that I can protect the people by my side even in this kind of world. And to earn the qualifications to be with anyone.”

Of course, she had been watching him all along.

Having seen him risk his life and escape from danger right before her eyes, she clearly understood that what he revealed now was neither a mere whim nor empty boasting.

“So… Ms. Merilyn, you don’t need to push yourself too hard either. If I’m truly deemed worthy, and if our feelings remain the same until then, I’ll come to court you.”

She could feel the trembling in her captured hand gradually subsiding.

Though his gaze toward her still contained both desire and guilt, all of it was neutralized not by willpower but by anticipation for the future.

Even if it couldn’t be realized immediately, he too was looking forward to being together in the future.

“…Fool.”

A coy voice escaped from Merilyn’s lips as she realized this.

“Hyoseong is a fool. A playboy, a pervert…”

“Ah, um.”

“Proudly declaring you’ll two-time while knowing exactly how I feel about you…”

“Ah, haha. Was this too much after all?”

“But I still like you.”

She had fallen in love with such a man.

The man who had saved her from an infinite cycle.

The weak yet greedy man who accepted her despite being late, and who didn’t turn away from a future together with her even though he already had someone.

“Because I like you, I’ll wait. For the day you come to me.”

She too lived with desire, but how could she reproach the desire of the person she loved?

Rather, Merilyn was grateful to him for showing her that she too had a chance, and he responded with a smile, shaking off his guilt.

“May I ask for the treatment now?”

“Yes, please take off your top and sit facing me.”

Yes, there was no need to rush.

It might not be now, but someday they would be together.

-Shwoop.

With that thought in mind, Merilyn gradually gathered strength in her hands.

The power responding to her will began to seep into his body, starting to draw the lustful magical power that had invaded him into her own body.

A power so strong that it would incapacitate someone with weak mental strength just by receiving it.

Even she would be considerably affected if she took it directly into her body, but enduring it wasn’t difficult.

Once she absorbed the lustful magical power into her body and gradually neutralized it before releasing it outside, everything would be resolved.

‘Hyoseong…’

As Merilyn drew all the power that had invaded his body toward herself and began to control it, she fixed her gaze on his body.

‘Was Hyoseong’s back always this broad?’

Her body moved stealthily, unconsciously, and her eyes opened wide.

The more she traced each scar on his body, including the muscles of his sweat-soaked chest, the more she felt reason disappearing from her mind.

This was a variable she herself hadn’t anticipated.

The power of madness that formed her core had mixed with the lust she had absorbed into her body, numbing her reason.

“M-Ms. Merilyn. Wait, what are you—”

“I’m sorry, Hyoseong. I know this is wrong, but I really can’t hold back.”

Moreover, what was before her was the source that stimulated desire.

With him lying defenseless, it was impossible to restrain the desire surging from within her.

“Still, please don’t resent me too much. This is all because Hyoseong…”

“Because Hyoseong is just too damn sexy~♥”

“W-wait! Aaaaaahhh!”

He screamed and tried to escape, but by then it was already too late.

-Rip!

His remaining lower garments were torn away by her grip.

And the devil’s hand began to reach for the erect object in the empty space.