The Villain's Retirement-Chapter 27: Fate (1)

After that, Ard breathed roughly.

He sat on the ground to rest a bit and allowed his mana circulate within his veins while controlling his breathing.

Then as if nothing was happening, he started dragging himself to walk into his quarters. Soon, he paused pouring mana and sat at a chair as he let the bracelet heal his fatigue and injuries.

Just a few breaths later, he heard footsteps and soon the door started to creak open as a petite elven lady with long blonde hair and circular eyeglasses entered.

This girl was naturally Nimriel.

Even now, she was holding a tome in her hand.

Looking at the young man sitting inside, she spoke as if stating a fact.

"I knew it, You’re not actually interested in magic, are you?"

’Nimriel... did she really follow me just to say that?’

At her voice, he turned his head slightly to look at her.

When he heard her question, he asked himself: was he supposed to ogle at that dungeon portal as well? Surely not. There was only one reason he left: he wanted nothing to do with such a dangerous looking dungeon portal. If there was a choice, he would have already snapped that dead tree a long time ago along with the rest of this mountain if he could.

Thus, he only offered a tired smile.

"I’m not feeling very well," he said. "Shouldn’t you be outside with the others?"

Merely humming at his question, Nimriel then looked around the room for a second.

It looked like she was expecting something strange to be inside. Yet she saw nothing. Unimpressed, she then placed the tome on her hand on top of a table before quietly removing her glasses, revealing her purple eyes.

It was like the moment she did her vision went clearer. Her long ears twitched slightly as she then heard the sound of fairy-like wings flapping.

Then her pupils dilated as she stared straight at Ard.

Looking at the young man, it felt like transparent-colored light in the form of birds were dancing all around the young man’s body. Those were the shape of mana. However, that wasn’t what she was looking at as her gaze sharpened further so much so she almost couldn’t breath for a second.

’This!’

Deep within Ard’s body, a black ball of violent and dark energy that seemed on the verge of a large reaction could be seen.

"...You’re not human," she said quietly calming herself down. "That energy though you may fool the others, it belongs to a demon and a powerful one at that."

At her words, Ard’s eyes immediately widened. Then a sharp killing intent leaked from him like a blade unsheathed. But it wasn’t so sinister enough to alarm the others.

"Nimriel," he said coldly, "apprentice of Archmage Sileus... your eyes are special, I presume."

Her instincts screamed at her to step back.

But she didn’t as if it was a matter of pride.

"Ah," she said calmly and smiled forcibly, though her fingers twitched. "So this is your true nature." She met his gaze. "Will you kill me now, demon?"

For a brief moment, Ard said nothing.

Then his shadow stirred.

Swoosh!

It slid across the wooden floor like liquid and slammed the door shut in an instant—bang—sealing the room.

Nimriel didn’t flinch.

Instead, she walked closer despite her instincts screaming at her to run.

"Well," she said lightly, "if Master brought you here, then you can’t be as dangerous as you look." She almost looks crazy," Then she added, "He’s easygoing, but we apprentices are... quite valuable to him."

Ard also caught what she had said.

Nimriel was directly implying that she doesn’t like a fight and at the same time, killing her would invoke the wrath of the mysterious mage. That or she was thinking she just got a free toy. Nonetheless—

’I think I just got the attention of another person I shouldn’t have.’ Ard thought and asked. This time, quietly and calmy, "what are you trying to say?"

Nimriel then straightened and her eyes shone. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"First of all, I am a scholar and a student of magic. It’s natural for me to be curious."

Without warning, she got too close for comfort, as her upper body bended and her face leaned over to see the ring closer with scholarly eyes as if she had stumbled upon buried treasure.

"...Demon, this ring is one of Master Sileus’ creations, isn’t it? Did he give it to you?"

She asked, but more like already confirmed it.

’The ring?’

From his current position, he could see the top of her head and her face mere inches from his hand while she examined the ring with unsettling focus. Now that she was so close, Ard could see how skinny and frail the girl was and he entertained the idea of snapping her neck right there and then. But he didn’t.

"No," he then said. "I found it in the Demon King’s treasury."

"Oh? Do explain."

"It’s said a human craftsman once fell in love with a demon king’s daughter," Ard said flatly. "He made this ring as an engagement gift. It disguises demonic mana—lets the wearer pass as human. With it, it’s said they could live in the human realm as normal lovers."

With her purple eyes, Nimriel’s head rose slowly and stared at him.

"...That’s ridiculous."

"..."

"You don’t actually believe that, do you?"

"No."

"Good."

"Because this ring was absolutely made by Master Sileus." She returned to her previous position.

Then, without hesitation, she added, her fingers brushing over his hand—slow, deliberate, lingering just a moment too long. The warmth of her touch sent a faint shiver up his arm as she leaned in, her voice low and close to his skin.

"Can you take it off?"

’No.’

At her words, Ard looked down at the girl’s fingers, placed on his hand while she was inspecting the ring. Then she nodded, then lifted her head as if some amusing thought had occurred to her.

After a few more seconds, Nimriel finally straightened and went to the table, and without a moment’s hesitation, slipped the eyeglasses back on and adjusted them.

"It puts a strain on my eyes, you see," she said lightly. "These special eyes of mine are rather troublesome."

Watching her strange reactions, Ard watched her for a second before asking, more quietly, "You’re not going to expose me?" He said and paused for a while, "I am a demon."

She then smiled—soft and almost playful, as though she had decided on something just now. "No," she said simply.

"I don’t exactly hate demons you see. And the master still has uses for you. I won’t dare touch anything master has approved of."