Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 188

The embrace that squeezed her body as if to crush her was familiar, as was the scent that permeated her lungs.

Eir stood still, finding it strange that the man who had seemed so distant from her now gave her comfort as if he were her home.

“Why have you come so late?”

The door closed with a heavy sound. Rubel, who had buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply, spoke in a voice so low it sounded sinister. Eir’s head felt foggy, as if she were dreaming, and she couldn’t say anything for a moment.

“Well…….”

We had an appointment?

Such thoughts circled in her mind, but she was glad she didn’t say them out loud. Judging by how Rubel’s arms tightened around her.

Rubel’s lips brushed against her neck.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting. Since I heard you were coming to the Central Temple.”

Moreover, as they entered, she could see how cramped the space was. This place was quite narrow compared to Rubel’s body. His head almost touched the ceiling, making him look even larger than usual. Eir felt awkward and pushed him away slightly. This only created a small distance between their chests, and she could see Rubel’s face.

Rubel seemed unchanged. He looked exactly as she remembered, except his bangs had grown a little longer, casting deeper shadows on his face, making him look somewhat gloomy.

Eir silently gazed at his face. His sunken eyes and consequently higher-looking nose bridge were directed steadily at her.

“What happened to your face?”

As if he just noticed, he frowned at her painful-looking wound. With one hand supporting her back, he raised the other to touch Eir’s cheek.

The wound was directly touched. Rubel fixed his gaze on Eir’s face as she winced, one eye narrowing in pain, and asked:

“Who did this to you?”

It was a voice filled with ominous energy.

Eir felt her spine tremble even though the anger wasn’t directed at her, and unconsciously grabbed his arm.

“I just got like this while traveling around.”

“What nonsense is that? Tell me clearly whether it was the witch or the Divine Empire that did this.”

Rubel cut off her attempt to gloss over it.

Eir blinked in confusion.

“Did you really bring Magnus here?”

Even when Abel had said, “My brother has gone mad,” Eir hadn’t really believed it. To her, Rubel was still a great knight beloved by God, who himself loved God.

How could she comprehend that such a person had entered the underground prison for the Purity Rite, only to walk out again on his own? Even after hearing Abel’s words, she was still half-doubting.

Rubel quietly looked at Eir. Unable to guess the thoughts occurring in Rubel’s blue eyes, Eir just stared blankly at him.

“Why do you call that bastard by his name? Have you grown fond of him in the meantime?”

“Are you insane?”

Indeed.

The words from his mouth instantly drew that response from her.

It was almost admirable in a way. She was amazed at how such an unpredictable person could exist.

“But why are you calling him by his name?”

“What should I call him then? Young master, something like that? After he even kidnapped me?”

“Don’t you know any other words? There are plenty of terrible curses to describe that dog-son-of-a-b***h and kidnapper.”

“No matter what, he’s still your brother…….”

“I find it more f*****g disgusting that you call that bastard by his name so familiarly.”

After saying that, he grabbed Eir’s chin. Eir felt a tickling sensation where his gaze was fixed on her lips, and bit her lower lip.

“Say it.”

“…….”

“Say, ‘bastard.'”

“I’ll say it if you tell me first. How did you capture Magnus? Why is someone who should be in prison here like this?”

“It seems you’re dissatisfied that I didn’t just lie comfortably in prison when you were kidnapped by witches.”

“That’s not what I meant…….”

Finding his tendency to twist her words frustrating, Eir opened her mouth but felt the words in her throat fade away when she saw his face. Though there was little change in his expression, a brief but great pain flashed through Rubel’s eyes.

A sharp anxiety that dried up the soul, uneasiness, and even doubt about whether the woman before him actually existed.

Rubel cupped her uninjured cheek and pressed his forehead against hers, whispering:

“Don’t you understand how agonizing it was, thinking you might be dead? Don’t you care? Every day felt like my intestines were being cut. Were you comfortable all that time?”