"Young Master," the butler stepped in hastily, his calm voice slicing through the rising storm.
"Please, let's not escalate—" But of course, he couldn't stop him.
Kiel's glare was burning holes into my soul. His hand gripped my collar, practically lifting me off the bed. His voice was venomous.
"Not gonna say anything, huh?"
"..."
"Mute now?"
"..."
"How can you be jealous of your own little sister and try to kill her?!"
"Young Master, that's enough—!" the butler tried again.
Kiel wasn't listening. His grip tightened.
"Speak" he hissed, eyes narrowing,
"..."
"Princess," the butler interrupted with a sigh, trying a different tactic. "I think… perhaps you should apologize to the Young Master and the Little Princess."
"...Huh?"
I blinked.
Not because he asked me to apologize.
But because he… called me Princess.
No one had ever called me that.
Wanna know why?
Because I'm not the Demon King's daughter.
So yeah, I was kinda taken aback.
I looked around and noticed something else—Kiel liked the sound of that.
"That's right," he sneered. "You should apologize to Lily. Right now."
Lily, ever the soft one, clutched his sleeve nervously.
"Th-there's no need for that, Brother…"
"Why not?!" he growled.
His hand was still gripping my collar. My patience was running on fumes. My eyes flickered—glowing faintly red.
Should I slap him?
I almost did.
But I held back. If I did that in front of that man... I'd be hugging a stone slab on my way to execution.
So I did what I could do.
Something better.
Drip.
A tiny, subtle sound echoed through the room.
Drip.
Everyone went silent.
Eyes turned to me.
And then—widened in horror.
Drip.
Drip.
Each drop hit the fabric of my dress, soaking in, echoing like thunder in a funeral home.
Kiel's hand released me instantly.
He stumbled back like he'd just touched holy fire.
Drip.
Another drop.
Then—
"W-WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
I collapsed. My voice broke the air. No more holding back. Just tears, sobs, hiccups—loud and ugly.
"I—I n-never hit her…!! hic"
"S-she was gonna… hic step—on a-a magic c-circle and I—sniff I-I just…"
I buried my face in my arms, letting the tears soak through.
Kiel's mouth opened.
"…hey—"
But nothing came out. Just air.
He took a shaky breath, reached his hand out…
"D-don't… touch me"
Hsi hand frozen mid air.
"L-Lily… sniff w-why… aren't y-you saying anything…?"
Lily's lips quivered. Not expecting this…
"W-why…?" I hiccuped, forcing my watery gaze toward her.
"i-I saved…y-your life"
She opened her mouth.
"I... that-"
But couldn't finish her sentence… she was taken a back by the situation…
She looked around, begging the air for words, then shrank into herself.
"I—I c-can't even u-use mana…" I whimpered.
"H-how could I H-hurt her?!"
"…"
They felt silent…
Kiel stepped forward again.
"Y-You—You're just—"
"K-Kiel…" I cut him off, my voice paper-thin.
"Y-you hate me… r-right?"
"...!"
His face twisted—guilt and fear and panic all trying to fight for space on his skin.
"I-it's f-fun, right?" I hiccuped.
"To p-pick on someone… sniff who's weak…?"
Kiel's hands dropped to his sides. His shoulders slumped. He looked like a scolded child.
"T-t-tell me!!" I screamed.
"I j-just wanna live…! What d-did I do…?!"
"W-why do you… keep b-bothering me"
At the same time hearing the commotion almost all the maid were standing there with pale face…
Thier reaction was understandable because rie was someone who would never cry… infront of other… specially lily.
Lily face was also very pale and frightened…
Even the head butler, always composed like a statue, looked visibly shaken.
He finally stepped forward.
"P-Princess… please…" he said, voice tight, one hand lifting toward me.
"D-Don't touch me!!" I snapped, my voice cracked from screaming.
His hand froze mid-air.
"I-I'm dirty…" I whispered.
"If y-you touch me… y-you'll get d-dirty too…"
His eyes widened. A Marquis-ranked demon. Trembling. His fingers twitched like he didn't know what to do with them anymore.
No one dared move.
I took that silence and painted it with poison.
"I-I'm not like you…"
"I-I'm not a princess like L-Lily…"
"I know… hic that's why you all h-hate me…"
"B-because I'm… I'm not the Demon K-King's daughter…"
"B-because I'm a h-half-breed!!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
A slap would've hurt less. The words rang like thunder.
Kiel visibly staggered. Lily gasped—finally letting a sound escape.
The butler's expression twisted, torn between panic and damage control.
The maids looked at each other in horror. A few took a step back, as if her words physically repelled them.
"Y—You hate mr…" I whispered.
"You… all h-hate me, right..."
Kiel opened his mouth, again.
But his voice come out in cracks…
"N-No… that's not… I don't—!"
"Y-you DO!!" I shrieked.
"Y-you always c-curse me… look at me with hatred…!"
"…"
He fell silent.
Again.
No one defended themselves. No one could.
'fuck this was fun'
I was enjoying it way to much…
I let my voice soften, drawing them in like venom laced in silk.
"Y-You know… I to"
"I-I TO HATE… YOU"
"I HATE ALL OF YOU"
"…."
'That was true'
As I said this while looking at him his black eye met mine teary red eyes…
Kiel?
He seem to lost the ability to speak.
He looked like I'd just dug up a grave and spit into it.
Perfect.
I let my tears drip down quietly, no longer wailing—just softly sobbing.
'So what if I don't have any mana'
'You guys are a thousand years too young to beat me humph!'
I almost laughed.
You didn't see that coming, huh?
Did you bastards.
hehe noobs
And just as I soaked in the sweet, victorious silence…
A voice.
Elegant. Calm. Cold.
Soft.
Like silk over steel.
But so chilling, my blood curdled.
"...What's going on here?"