Lust Devil's Rise

Chapter 106: No One Touches What Is His

Luka never wanted things to go this far. He planned to kill the knight in the future, but right now, it wasn’t possible. Luvia’s actions forced him to accept the situation, and thus he went all out in his effort to criminalise the knight.

He guided Galatea back to her room away from the corridor quickly, before the knights or anyone else noticed the change in her movements.

Though she tried to walk normally, it was painfully obvious she was uncomfortable.

’This beautiful woman...’

Luka couldn’t help but admire Galatea as she kept her chin high, retaining her pride as her blue eyes fixed ahead, ignoring the pain.

Her fingers rested lightly against his sleeve as if she were merely accepting formal support. Yet every few steps, her weight shifted against him, and the faint tension in her body told another story.

’Stubborn, but lovable woman.’

He slowed his pace as naturally as possible, hoping she didn’t notice and become upset.

Galatea’s strange sense of pride was both a positive and an annoyance at times.

"T-Thank you for the help, L-Luka..."

She seemed to struggle saying his name as she stuttered.

Luka glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Galatea’s face remained turned forward, but her ears betrayed her completely. They were red enough to make him want to tease her, yet the slight tremble in her knees stopped him from pushing too hard.

"You’re welcome."

"...That’s all?"

"What else should I say? Do you actually want me to mock you? Are you perhaps a masochist, my lovely little knight?"

"N-No way!" She gasped, almost turning pale when two guards appeared at the opposite end of the corridor, forcing her to cut her voice dead as she whispered. "I don’t know... just... it seems strange."

Her fingers tightened against his sleeve.

The small gesture made Luka’s chest feel strangely full.

Last night had changed the space between them, and now even walking through the corridor together carried an intimacy that did not exist before. Galatea was no longer only his knight standing at his side with a sword.

’To think it was so easy, my past self was foolish.’

She was the last knight who fought for him and never gave up, always fighting and trying to keep everyone in high spirits.

She was the woman who clung to him until dawn... refusing to stop.

The woman who still tried to walk proudly after barely being able to stand.

’What a troublesome creature.’

While thinking of her past self, he couldn’t help but remember Mildred, who awaited him in another room, silently, without an explanation of her sudden change.

’My most beloved, and the woman who betrayed me...’

They reached her room without encountering anyone else. Luka opened the door and guided her inside, ignoring the way she tried to release his sleeve before crossing the threshold.

"I can manage from here."

"Are you sure, I can make some time..."

"Luka."

Though he wanted to keep bothering her, the residual heat, the subtle scent of her body that lingered and her sweet taste... all continuously drew him back to her.

"Then I will help you onto your bed and leave, okay?"

She could only glare at him and roll her eyes. The heat behind her eyes was weaker than usual. Her body had reached its limit, and pride alone could not hide that forever.

Luka helped her sit on the bed.

She lowered herself carefully, then immediately stiffened, her lips pressing together as the ache struck again.

His eyes narrowed.

"Still painful?"

Her face reddened.

"Do not ask that so casually."

"I need to know."

"No, you want to tease me."

"Maybe I just want to help make it better..." He squatted, before gently placing his fingertips against her stomach... the muscles twitched under his touch.

He gathered his raging Miasma and drew it towards his arm, and clenched his abdomen, slowly pushing the magenta cloud into her body. Though he wasn’t sure if it would completely help, this was all he could do.

After he was done, he gently brushed her golden hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead.

"If you need anything... just let me know, okay?"

"Luka..."

He smiled faintly, then turned toward the small table and poured water into a cup. When he handed it to her, she accepted with both hands, looking away as she drank.

Galatea lowered the cup and murmured, "I wanted to stand beside you."

"You can, anytime you wish, my right side is open just for you."

"Y-You know what I mean..." freēwebnovel.com

"Haha."

"I keep failing you, always leaving everything to others." Galatea’s eyes dimmed slightly as she held the empty cup.

"You stopped Luvia from cutting Cedric’s throat while barely able to walk, isn’t that more than enough for now? Take some rest, I know I’ll rely on you in the future, so don’t be so hard on yourself."

Her eyes softened slightly.

"I did not want her to carry that burden."

"I know."

"And I did not want you forced into a worse position because of him."

Luka reached out and brushed his fingers against her cheek. Galatea froze, then slowly leaned into his touch before seeming to realise what she had done. Her eyes widened, and she turned her face away.

"Lala."

"Do not call me that when I am already embarrassed."

"Rest."

"I am still your knight, you don’t need to treat me like a weak maiden..."

"Then obey your lord."

"If you leave this room again before recovering, I will carry you back in front of the entire manor."

Galatea’s mouth opened.

However, she didn’t speak a word.

"Haha, well, take care. L a L a."

He straightened and moved toward the door, with his hand on the handle, then glanced back over his shoulder with a smile.

"Eat something light, and get some sleep if you can. I will handle Cedric and return after."

She watched him for several seconds.

"Luka, please... get some rest."

"I will."

The door closed with a click, though he wanted to spend more time with her. He couldn’t just waste the precious time remaining.

Another raid would soon come and drive Amol into chaos if unprepared. There were too many issues at hand with Luvia and Mildred, Iris, and the knights... He probably wouldn’t be allowed a good night’s rest for a while after all this.

’That bastard knight...!’ He cursed Cedric.

...

The warmth faded the moment the door closed behind him; his face also shifted to a sombre expression. He saw Levi waiting at the end of the corridor with two knights and beckoned to them.

Thanks to their hard work, most of the blood had been cleaned.

"My Lord, Sir Cedric is secured in the lower basement storehouse. His wrist and nose are broken, and the healer says he will live, but might suffer permanent disformation."

"Good serves him right... Ahem! Well, that’s unfortunate. I should probably write to the Queen and tell her about the situation."

Levi’s brow twitched at Luka’s words, but when he corrected himself, the old man just shook it off and seemed to accept it.

"What about Luvia?"

"She’s waiting in your study."

"Alone?"

"She refused to wait anywhere else, and it seems that our people are still wary of the two elves you brought back with you, My Lord."

"Of course she did."

Luka walked faster, trying to reach his office before any more trouble happened.

There was no time to indulge every problem separately. Cedric needed to be prioritised purely because the Queen could cause a devastating blow to Luka’s forces if she took things the wrong way.

’I’ll have to sweeten her up and pretend to be in her camp...’

To do this, he also needed Luvia to control her anger before another incident...

Babylon was finally moving, and the world was already trying to pull it apart at the seams.

When Luka entered the study, Luvia stood near the window with her arms crossed. Her dark face turned away, while she seemed to be interested in something outside. Her golden eyes shimmered as she seemed oblivious to his approach.

"I did not kill him," she said before he spoke. "I tried my hardest to resist... so please don’t be angry with me..."

Her head turned to face him, stopping him still in his tracks.

There were faint tears in the corners of her sharp golden eyes, something Luka never expected from a dark elf.

’Eh?’

"I hated it... He touched me."

Luka’s gaze darkened at the thought of someone touching her, and he could only manage to struggle two words through his tightly closed lips.

"I know."

"He thought I was something he could use."

Luka crossed the room before she could hide her face again.

Luvia stiffened as his arms wrapped around her from behind, firm but careful, pulling her back against his chest. For once, she didn’t joke. She only trembled as his lips touched her forehead.

"How could I blame you for this... You are my woman. I will never let anyone treat you like that again, ever."

Her eyes narrowed as she leaned into his embrace with a smile.

While outside the window, a rider bearing the crest of House Averain galloped through Babylon’s gate.