Chapter 215
“…What?”
Payne acked back, thinking he must have misheard her, though deep down he’d already suspected as much.
‘The birdcage was in my bedroom, after all.’
It had sat right by the window, across from the wardrobe and next to his desk.
So, no matter what he did—changing his clothes, whatever—it would’ve been easy for her to see everything.
“That’s why, when I mentioned in confession that there was a man I kept thinking about, it was you.”
“Confession? You confessed to me?”
“Mhm. You really didn’t know?”
Ashtel gave a quick explanation: After returning to the demon realm, she’d disguised herself as a devotee just to see him again—well, really, to seduce him.
She’d deliberately singled him out for confession.
Once she described the details, Payne remembered and let out a brief sigh.
But as the realization settled in, he was left half-shocked, half-exasperated by Ashtel’s brazenness.
He shot her a mild glare, but she just looked away, laughing awkwardly.
“Anyway, that’s why I kept thinking you were really sexy back then.”
“How did we get to that?”
“I mean, you’d turn around and take your shirt off, and your back was just… wow, all those muscles…”
Maybe it was her fever, or maybe she just wanted to cover up her boldness with a naughty memory, but Ashtel kept on praising Payne’s body even as she chewed her porridge.
“I’d never seen muscles that pretty before. I honestly thought priests were all kind of scrawny.”
“….”
“But then you took off your shirt and looked at me, and your chest was just…—”
“Eat your porridge before it gets cold.”
She was cut off mid-sentence by the spoon suddenly pressed to her lips.
Payne quietly prepared the next bite, feeling his cheeks get hotter.
‘She’s teasing me, but…’
Somehow, he didn’t mind it.
It was flustering, but not unpleasant. Was this another sign of his corruption? He’d thought Ashtel’s help had cleared the curse, but maybe not.
He bit his lip and sighed faintly.
Just then, Ashtel reached up, cupping his chin and brushing her thumb across his mouth.
“Don’t bite your lips—you’ll hurt yourself.”
“…Ah.”
“Were you embarrassed again?”
“No.”
He answered reflexively, but of course she was right.
He was embarrassed enough to want to hide under the table.
‘What’s wrong with me, just accepting Ashtel’s teasing like it’s nothing?’
But there was another reason, too.
“Hey, Payne,”
She toyed with his lips for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. The shift in atmosphere made Payne look up and meet her gaze.
“Thank you for helping me, when I was hurt.”
“You mean, when you were a baby bird?”
“Yes. I’ve always wanted to tell you.”
Then she stretched out her arms, winding them around his neck and snuggling into his chest.
With the bowl still in his hands, he couldn’t hug her back and just blinked in surprise.
“I only survived because you helped me.”
“Ashtel, I didn’t know it was you at the time.”
“Still.”
“Helping weak animals is just the right thing to do…”
“Even so!”
Payne hesitated, but then quietly rested his cheek on the top of her head.
Maybe it was just her fever, but her whole body felt so warm. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes.
Somehow, this moment felt so sweet.
“And you were so gentle with me.”
“….”
“You even said I was pretty.”
“Well, I thought you were just a bird.”
“And you bathed me, too.”
Now that he thought about it, he’d probably said all sorts of embarrassing things to baby-bird Ashtel, not to mention all the compliments, the prayers, even a kiss on the forehead.
His neck turned red for a different reason as Ashtel giggled and flicked her tongue along his skin.
Her smooth tongue sent a shiver up his spine and made him stiffen.
“Ashtel.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“I might not be able to control myself.”
She instantly sobered, backing away with a solemn expression. Her whole body was still sore; she didn’t think she could handle another round.
“…Or should I be the one on top this time?”
“Just finish your porridge.”
“Okay…”
What was this cunning (former) succubus going to do next to test his patience?
Payne, wrestling down the stirring heat inside him, managed to get her through the rest of her meal without further incident.
* * *
A few days later, Ashtel was finally back to her old, lively self.
“Yay! Goodbye, bed!”
After being forced to lie down for so long, even the word ‘bed’ made her shudder—she rushed outside, full of energy.
“Payne, let’s go on a picnic! Let’s play!”
“All right, but don’t run too much.”
Who could call her anything but a lovable troublemaker?
Payne watched her dart across the yard, a gentle smile on his lips, and softly murmured to himself.
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