<CHAPTER 9>
I Like You
Redemberg Lu Edeltein could not understand.
‘If they are no different from having no family, wouldn’t it be fine to truly make them nonexistent?’
In any case, since Ehilie told him not to kill him, he did not kill him.
Instead, he buried him.
He dug the ground right next to the river and buried only the body, leaving the head exposed.
In the process, Cain woke up, and he made a small mistake while subduing him.
He accidentally broke the fingers and arm that grabbed Ehilie’s hair, as well as both ankles.
It was merely a mistake.
‘She didn’t say I couldn’t break them, so this should be fine.’
He wanted to dismember him, but held back.
‘If I had known this would happen, I should have checked in advance whether humans could live after having their wrists and ankles cut off.’
Knowing how fragile humans were, it could not be helped.
Since he promised not to kill him, he left the body intact despite breaking the bones.
It was truly regrettable.
After finishing the trash disposal, Redemberg Lu Edeltein returned straight to Ehilie’s cabin.
When he spotted her peeking from afar, a smile appeared on his lips.
Ehilie asked with a worried face.
“You really buried him with his face out, right?”
Redemberg Lu Edeltein nodded with a bright smile.
“Yes. I handled it well.”
“But Rek, how did you dig without even a shovel?”
He made a mistake.
For someone with immense magic like Redemberg Lu Edeltein, digging was nothing.
With a flick of a finger, he could create a hole large enough to fit dozens of people.
He had not considered that ordinary humans needed tools.
Still, he answered calmly.
“I dug it by hand.”
Strictly speaking, it was not a lie.
He used magic through his hands.
“……Wait. Your hands are too clean for that. There’s not even any dirt.”
“There was a river nearby, so I washed them. I couldn’t enter your home looking dirty.”
“You dug a hole big enough to bury someone and even washed up. How did you come back so fast?”
Her blue eyes narrowed.
Just as suspicion tightened around him.
Drip.
A raindrop fell from the dark clouds.
Drip drip drip.
Soon, heavy rain poured down.
The sky was on his side.
No, more precisely…
It was according to his plan.
“Oh my, it suddenly started raining…”
Ehilie stepped under the roof and gestured.
“Rek, come inside.”
But he did not move.
The rain soaked him instantly.
His carefully styled hair drooped wetly.
“What are you doing!”
“Do you dislike me, Ehilie?”
“What? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?”
“I feel like I never earn your trust.”
“That’s…”
Her blue eyes wavered.
Ehilie was kind by nature and could not ignore the weak.
That gentle heart often clouded her judgment.
It was probably why she could not firmly push him away.
Still, she was not completely oblivious.
Sometimes, she was sharp.
Redemberg Lu Edeltein wanted to cross the line she had drawn.
‘I want to get closer.’
He wanted her to desire him.
For that, he had to become a pitiful, tragic man.
If he could not remove her doubts, he would bury them deeper.
* * *
“I have never once been insincere toward you. But since the day we met, you seem to want to keep your distance.”
His rain-soaked voice sank heavily into her heart.
He was right.
She wanted to keep her distance.
Because he seemed like an important character in the original story.
‘I was determined to draw the line today.’
But seeing him standing miserably in the rain shook her resolve.
“Rek, let’s talk inside.”
She approached him.
Only then did he move.
“You’ll get wet.”
He took off his jacket and draped it over her head like an umbrella.
That gentle touch stirred her heart.
‘You’re the one who’s soaked.’
He was drenched from head to toe.
It felt strange that he was worried about her.
It was the first time someone worried about her.
* * *
“May I have a glass of water?”
Rek took the water and went to shower.
While he washed, Ehilie lit the stove.
The house was not cold.
It was for him.
Drip, drip.
The rain grew stronger.
“It’s raining a lot.”
Looking outside, she remembered earlier.
He had buried Cain near the river.
With this rain, the river would swell.
She was about to go out when he came out.
“Rek, I’ll go to the river for a bit…”
Before she finished, she froze.
Water dripped from his black hair down his neck.
His firm chest gleamed with moisture.
Soft light traced his abs.
Wearing only a towel, he looked unreal.
“What did you say, Ehilie?”
“Huh? Did I say something?”
She blinked blankly.
Her mind went blank.
Cain had already been washed out of her thoughts.
Her gaze stopped at his hand.
“Rek, your hand…”
Several nails were cracked.
Scratches covered his hand.
“Ah.”
He hid it quickly.
She stepped closer.
“Don’t hide it. Give it to me.”
“……”
“Rek.”
He finally placed his hand down.
It was worse up close.
“Did you get hurt digging?”
“……No.”
He avoided her gaze.
Obviously lying.
“Be honest.”
After hesitating, he spoke.
“I wanted to return to you quickly, so I rushed.”
“That’s not ‘a little.’”
“Why is your skin like this?”
“My skin is sensitive.”
Her heart hurt.
She felt guilty for doubting him.
“Sit for a moment.”
She brought the medicine box.
He endured treatment quietly.
Not a single groan escaped.
“I’m sorry for doubting you…”
He smiled gently.
“It’s okay.”
“Rek, why…”
Why are you so kind?
He answered softly.
“I like you.”
The words echoed.
Her world stopped.
“I fell in love at first sight.”
It was simple.
But his eyes burned.
“I want to get to know you better.”
“……”
“Will you go out with me?”
