n

n

nWhen Sylvia finally stirred awake, it was already the next day and the noon sun was beating down on the castle, illuminating all the exquisite color patterned glass skylights.

nShe rubbed her eyes, and yawned leisurely, sitting upon the bed, without fully recollecting the events of the previous day.

nBut her movements abruptly froze midway as she noticed her completely naked upper body.

nSylvia's eyes widened in shock and suddenly everything that had happened the day before came flooding into her brain.

nNo! She snapped out of her trance in a panic, pulling the blanket hurriedly to cover her tender skin and her naked body.

nShe turned around to see the familiar castle wall on the right and the flower garden outside the window.

nNo! No! No! Sylvia clutched her head.

nShe remembered her colossal failure of an attempt to escape yesterday and it frustrated her to no end.

nIt would have at least been better if she hadn't tried to do so in the first place.

nBut now that she had done it, she had no doubt that she was neck deep in trouble.

nHer gaze then fell on her thin frail hands and her clear pale skin without a single blemish or a mark present on it, let alone a bruise.

nSylvia gulped, a fearful thought entering her brain. Did he treat my injuries so that he could hurt me all over again?

nKnowing the man's sadistic nature, such a thing was very much possible.

nBut what could she even do now?

nShe was back in this damned castle and there were no more routes of escape.

nAnd to make matters worse… the devil was now more than aware of her intentions…

n

"Heh. I see that you are finally awake now.

"

nA familiar voice echoed from a corner of the room, making Sylvia jump up in fright.

nThink of the devil and there he was!

nHad he just been sitting there quietly, enjoying her desperation and misery all the while?

nAt that thought, the anxiety in her eyes disappeared, making her look cold and desolate.

nShe indifferently pulled the blanket up, as if it was an unbreakable barrier between him and her.

n

"Aha Ha Ha. I like the look in your eyes.

" Mikel chuckled.

"But don't worry about the blanket slipping up so much.

"

n

"After all…

" His voice drawled on…

"I have seen and appreciated everything there is to see.

"

n

"Once? Twice? Thrice? I guess it's been too many times to keep count?

"

n

"Hmm… Sorry about that.

" He paused.

n

"But I assure you… I have touched everything only once.

"

nSylvia snapped to look at him in shock, her cold and indifferent facade shattering into a million pieces.

nThe devil, however, casually grinned without showing any hints of remorse. He even raised his right hand, opening and closing his fingers vulgarly.

nThe gentleness and concern he had in his gaze while Sylvia was previously unconscious were nowhere to be seen now.

nThey were rather replaced by a cruel glint as he lied shamelessly through his teeth.

nAs his words slowly sank in, Sylvia gulped. She couldn't meet his gaze and face him any longer.

nShe buried her head and her flushed face into the gap between her folded knees.

nShe knew that she was a slave.

nIt was only inevitable that these things were going to happen to her, but to do them while she was still unconscious…

nThis man was as heartless as he was two-faced. She clutched the blanket so tightly, still unwilling to let it go.

nMikel chuckled. He drank in her myriad expressions but the man was not even close to being done with her punishment.

nHe stood up from the wooden chair that he was sitting on and casually walked over to Sylvia, sitting beside her on the bed.

nSylvia immediately shuffled her feet, moving back in fright and disgust, until her body hit the head of the bed.

nMikel chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, simply standing up and once again sitting on the bed, now even closer to her.

nIt was as if he was saying… if you can move, I can also move…

nSylvia bit her lips in frustration at the man's thick face. Didn't he already have his way with her? So why was he still here?

nShe hurriedly moved, intending to jump out of the bed altogether, when Mikel's hand shot forward, clutching hers and holding her in place.

nThe man's firm grasp prevented her from moving any further.

n

"Settle down, kitten.

" He chuckled, his gaze shifting from the woman to look outside the window, at the blissful flower garden.

nIt was the season for roses to bloom and they had bloomed quite beautifully.

nThey were his mother's favorite flowers, which was why he had had them planted a long time ago in the garden beside his bedroom window.

nAs a younger boy, he had liked looking at them as he fell asleep and now it had become a habit.

n

"Say… May I know what happened the other night?

" He asked, an unfathomable riddle in his voice.

n

"Which night… your highness?

" Sylvia slowly muttered, a bit taken aback. She couldn't quite place a finger on what he was talking about.

n

"The night that you impaled me with a poisoned arrow,

" Mikel replied, his thin lips parting indifferently and his gaze still lingering on the roses outside the window.

nAh… Sylvia gulped. She immediately understood what he was talking about.

nEven though she hated him right now with all of her heart, she still couldn't help but admire the man's wits.

nOf all the things that he could have questioned her, he decided to start with this specific topic? How shrewd!!!

nThe devil was not only cruel, two-faced, and hateful but he was extremely calculating and cunning.

nI was a fool to underestimate him. Sylvia gulped, realizing her mistake.

nThe man might not have a high mana affinity and might not be a powerful mage, but he was still just as dangerous and powerful.

n