“Child, demons will grasp and shake what humans hold most dear.”

“What’s most dear?”

“Yes. The most precious thing that humans can never abandon.”

“What is that?”

“Well, that would be…”

After a long time, I met Grandmother. And then my eyes opened.

“It’s been a while since I dreamed of Grandmother.”

I wondered why Grandmother, who rarely showed her face even in dreams, had come to visit me.

“The most precious thing…”

And with such an intriguing story, no less.

Upon waking, Rael remained in bed, contrary to her usual habit. Though she wanted to spring up, her body felt unwell. She sensed the chills of a cold coming on, despite not having overexerted herself recently.

Unfortunately, none of the usual culprits applied to her situation—she hadn’t stopped eating to the point of malnutrition, fallen ill from stress, or overworked her body.

She ate well, regularly plotted her escape, and received excellent treatment—her circumstances could be considered quite fortunate. And when had life ever been without its moments of tension?

“Ugh.”

When she tried to force herself up, her head spun.

‘I really must have caught a cold.’

Rael gave up on getting out of bed and decided to stay lying down.

“Come to think of it…”

She couldn’t remember what Grandmother had said at the end of the dream. The memory was from when she was very young, so it seemed even her dream couldn’t recreate it.

Looking back now, Grandmother had told many stories about demons. During Grandmother’s youth, demons apparently ran rampant in the human world. That’s why demons frequently appeared in the fairy tales she shared.

How nice it would be if she could ask Grandmother now. Or at least if she could remember those conversations from long ago.

Knock knock.

“Lady Rael, are you awake?”

“Esh…”

Her voice lacked strength.

“Hmm? Why are you in this state?”

Entering the room, Esh was surprised to see Rael so weak.

“I think I’ve caught a cold.”

“Hmm? Ah… that illness humans get.”

It seemed demons didn’t catch colds. Esh looked at her with curiosity, like she was seeing something novel.

“Let me see if you have a fever.”

Esh approached Rael’s bedside and placed a hand on her forehead.

“Hmm… you definitely have a slight fever. Or maybe it’s not so slight? I’m not very sensitive to temperature.”

Esh withdrew her hand with a broad smile.

“Are you feeling very unwell?”

“Not terribly. I just have no energy.”

“What should we do? I’ll have someone fetch medicine. We don’t have human remedies here, so it might take some time. Can you manage some porridge for now?”

“Yes.”

It felt strange. They say having someone beside you when you’re sick provides strength—and even though the one by her side was a demon rather than a human, perhaps because she was ill, it felt somewhat reassuring.

“Rest well. I’ll bring you some porridge.”

“Thank you.”

Rael decided to spend the day resting her weary body instead of getting up. Being a human imprisoned in the Demon King’s Castle was sad enough—falling ill on top of that would be too depressing.

Before long, Esh returned with a tray bearing porridge and water. Since Rael wasn’t severely ill, she managed to eat the porridge without difficulty.

Thanks to this, Rael believed her condition was merely a mild cold that would quickly improve with good food and rest.

* * *

“Why have you become so gaunt?”

Rubellan asked, grasping Rael’s wrist.

“I’m not sure myself.”

“And you still have a fever.”

When Rubellan’s cool hand touched her forehead, it felt like her fever was subsiding. Contrary to Rael’s expectations, her cold had persisted for several days.

“Are you eating properly?”

“…”

“And medicine?”

“I’ve taken it.”

Rubellan sat beside her bed, gently stroking her wrist, forehead, and hair in succession.

“This makes my heart soften.”

“…Right. Humans need to be in human places to avoid getting sick…”

As soon as Rubellan finished speaking, Rael seized the opportunity to respond, causing Rubellan to twist the corner of his mouth into a smile.

“Your mind is still working well, I see.”

“…”

She should have pretended to be sicker before speaking. Rael lowered her bright eyes again.

In truth, while her mind worked fine as he said, her body genuinely felt unwell. Rather than being severely ill, her fever wouldn’t break, her body ached, and her appetite was nearly non-existent—making life quite miserable.

Rael’s weak sigh settled in the room. Rubellan continued to look down at her.

“You’re beautiful even when you’re sick, senior.”

“Cough!”

The sudden buttery compliment made her choke on her own saliva. She already didn’t want to put a drop of water in her mouth, and now he was making her spit out even her saliva.

“There’s never a moment when you’re not beautiful.”

“In this situation, you say things like that?”

Despite Rael’s disgusted expression, Rubellan smiled with narrowed eyes.

“What can I do?”

His hand, which had been playing with her hair, brushed against her neck and tickled her collarbone. Rael’s body stiffened. Surely this guy wasn’t making advances on a sick person? Lusting after someone who was ill?

“No. That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“Hmm…”

She had a premonition that things might take an unpleasant turn. She didn’t want to confirm that this guy was crazy enough to get aroused by a sick person.

“I’m really sick, you know?”

“Indeed.”

She felt like a mouse before a cat. That well-fed cat seemed to be contemplating whether to play with the trapped mouse or take pity and release it.

“But then, you shouldn’t look so erotic even when sweating.”

With those words, Rael quickly wiped her forehead.

“Your slightly excited breathing is also stimulating.”

She immediately regulated her breathing.

“Your drooping eyes from weakness…”

Her eyes widened.

“Your pale lips and skin look delicious too.”

“You perverted bastard.”

This time, a curse escaped her lips. How could someone possibly lust after a sick person?

Hearing Rael’s curse, Rubellan laughed out loud.

“I’m not vicious enough to pounce on someone who’s sick.”

Honestly, she wanted to say he was worse than that. But if she did, he might respond with something like, “Oh, really? Then I’ll just do it,” so she held her tongue.

Rubellan, who had been staring intently at her while maintaining eye contact, smiled and removed his hand from Rael’s body. Rael swallowed nervously, but his hand didn’t approach again.

Instead, Rubellan loosened his robe. Then he pulled down his loose pajama pants.

“W-wait, what are you doing…!”

Rael’s eyes widened. Rubellan was stroking his own g*nitals.

“Huh.”

Right next to the bed, the crazy demon had started m*sturbating.

And the sight was impossible to look away from. Whether from shock or disbelief, Rael found herself staring blankly at the scene.

“Mmm…”

Rubellan, showing no sign of embarrassment, supported himself with one hand on the bed while rubbing his member with the other.

His er*ction, which must have been hard for some time, was already standing tall after just a few strokes. The dark red organ that she had seen numerous times before still boasted a shocking size.

Seeing it without the heat of the moment made it seem even more grotesque. To think that such a violent thing had been inside her—it was amazing she had endured it so well.

Whether or not he knew Rael’s inner thoughts, Rubellan was steadily becoming more aroused under her fixed gaze.

His closed hand slowly pulled upward from the base of his member. The skin followed the movement, repeatedly stretching up and down.

His organ had swollen diligently, now smooth and taut. Thick veins bulged prominently along its surface.

“Hah…”

Though he hadn’t cl*maxed, white fluid beaded at the tip, which Rubellan’s hand spread over the entire length. This added a slick, squelching sound. His member now glistened.

Gulp. She swallowed dryly.

Rubellan spread his kneeling legs wider, making it easier for Rael to see.

“Hoo…”

Each time an uncontained moan escaped Rubellan’s lips, Rael’s body twitched.

Goodness, had a man m*sturbating always been this erotic?

His member, firmly gripped in his hand, continued to be worked up and down. Each time the skin of the gl*ns was pulled all the way up and down, white fluid inevitably leaked out, which looked incredibly s*xual.

“Ha, just having you watch makes my c*ck throb.”

“Ah… huh? Huh?”

Rael, who had been lost in admiring his member, looked up at Rubellan with a blank expression. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

Rubellan was clearly m*sturbating, and judging by what she’d just witnessed, he was in a state of extreme arousal. Yet his expression, apart from slightly furrowed brows, looked surprisingly calm, not at all like someone consumed by passion.

And Rael found that expression somewhat unsettling.

Remaining composed even in this situation was truly inhuman… ah, right, he wasn’t human.

Maintaining eye contact with Rael, Rubellan moved his hand faster. Looking into each other’s eyes created the illusion that he was thrusting into her.

But then, something poked his member. Rael’s fingertip had touched the tip of his gl*ns.