Chapter 45: Words Spoken in Drunkenness
Abyss smiled at Leona’s childish demeanor. He bent down and stroked her damp silver hair, a pleasant floral scent wafting from it.
“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you about sharing a room with Flora and Rebecca?”
“I told you, I want to sleep. I can’t sleep without your help, can I? Do I need to explain this to you?!” Leona said, marching into Abyss’s room, her slippers slapping against the floor.
Abyss didn’t object, closing the door behind her. A typical sixteen-year-old boy might have hesitated, feeling shy or embarrassed, but fortunately, Abyss was completely oblivious to such social cues.
Leona walked straight to the bed, tossed her pillow onto it, then jumped onto the mattress, kicking off her slippers, and sprawling out. She was so light that the bed barely creaked.
“Of course I’ll stay with you. Come, close your eyes, and I’ll use the necromantic link to help you sleep,” Abyss said, smiling.
“Hmm…” Leona closed her eyes obediently. Her cheeks were still flushed, her voice soft and languid.
Abyss was surprised by the potency of the potion she had consumed at the bar. He lay down beside her, gently taking her warm hand in his.
Leona’s body stiffened for a moment when he touched her, then relaxed again.
“No rigor mortis this time, Leona. Good job,” Abyss said, praising her.
“Abyss, I’m sorry…”
But instead of her usual indignant response, Leona’s voice was soft, almost a whisper.
Abyss, about to use the necromantic link to calm her mind, was surprised by her sudden apology. “Hmm? What’s wrong, Leona? Have you caught Flora’s politeness bug? Why are you apologizing?”
“Abyss, I feel like I’ve been treating you poorly… But why don’t you ever get angry?” she continued.
Even Abyss, oblivious as he was, could tell she was being serious. He thought for a moment, then replied, “I’m not angry because I don’t think you’ve treated me poorly. Remember that battle with Dallan? You and Flora worked together perfectly to defeat him. You might talk tough, but you’ve always been on my side. I don’t want followers who blindly agree with me and praise me. I want those who trust me completely, who are willing to stand by my side—and you are one of them, aren’t you?”
“Hmm… Will you… Will you neglect Flora and me after you fall in love with Rebecca?” Leona asked, changing the subject.
“Oh, you’re talking about Rebecca’s attempts to win my favor. Well, I’ve never been in love before. Honestly, I’m not interested in romance right now. I have a more exciting goal in mind—defeating the Creator God. I probably won’t consider such things until then. But if, and I mean if, Rebecca truly captivates me, I promise I won’t neglect you and Flora. Even if you’re not my lovers, you’re my followers, which means you’re family.” Abyss glanced at Leona, who opened her eyes, their gazes meeting.
“…We’re family now?”
“Of course. We might not be blood-related, but you three are my family,” Abyss said patiently, humoring the seemingly intoxicated Leona.
“What kind of family member am I to you? A sister?”
“Well… How should I put it? Closer than a sister,” Abyss said, after a moment of consideration, his voice sincere, devoid of any deception.
“Closer than a sister? Do you mean… a wi… wife?”
“No, even closer than a wife. Our bond is far stronger than any marriage,” Abyss said, chuckling.
Leona fell silent, closing her eyes tightly. Abyss, using his darkvision, enhanced by the faint neon light filtering through the window, noticed her flushed cheeks. He wondered if the potion had delayed side effects.
“I… I’m going to sleep now. Use your magic to help me relax,” Leona said after a long silence, finally issuing her command to Abyss, who, oblivious to his unintentionally flirtatious words, obediently channeled his magic, casting a calming spell on her.
Was Leona truly drunk? She couldn’t tell. She had simply let her thoughts wander after consuming the potion-infused drink. Rebecca’s arrival had triggered a sense of insecurity. She liked Rebecca, but she feared that Abyss and Rebecca might fall in love, leaving her and Flora neglected and forgotten. Rebecca was beautiful, intelligent, and understanding. Few men could resist her advances, and Abyss, despite being a powerful necromancer, was still a sixteen-year-old boy.
She didn’t understand this complex emotion swirling within her. Was it love? She had never fallen in love before, so she didn’t know. But Abyss had become more important to her than anyone else.
She had once been a powerful warrior, a princess of the Empire, seemingly blessed with everything. But deep down, she knew that her status as an illegitimate child had made her an outcast among the nobility. Her strength was seen as a tool, a pawn to be manipulated. Everyone treated her as a means to an end. Even the Emperor only showed her occasional concern out of a sense of paternal duty. Her mother, fearing trouble, had severed all contact with her. She received no love, the kind of love a child needed to thrive, only attention through her tantrums and her mischievous antics.
Surrounded by indifference and disdain, Leona had grown up, developing a rebellious and demanding personality.
She had died at a young age, betrayed by the Empress, a disappointment to her father, her life cut short before it could truly blossom.
Abyss was the first person who treated her as a valued companion, who trusted her with his secrets, who gave her everything she had ever desired.
She was afraid, more afraid than Flora, of losing him, of returning to a life of loneliness.
But now, with his reassurance and his explanations, her anxieties subsided.
Her consciousness drifted towards darkness. She felt a wave of drowsiness, finally succumbing to sleep.
And within that darkness, two figures, embracing tightly, appeared before her…
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