## Chapter 136 – Jane. Aching Wound (2)
About three hours later, Jane stretched and looked at No. 25.
No. 25 was sweating far more than before, and his pale face looked like he would collapse at any moment. Not being able to drink a single drop of water and having someone else forcibly control his body in place was quite tiring.
Perhaps the sculpting was progressing satisfactorily, Jane approached No. 25 with a softer tone than before and stroked his cheek.
“Sorry, that was tough, wasn’t it? If you had cooperated properly, I wouldn’t have had to go this far.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than No. 25 collapsed to the floor like a doll with its strings cut. Jane glanced at No. 25 once and immediately turned her gaze to the sculpture.
“Still, it’s a bit more presentable now. It feels a little awkward, but it’s a hundred times better than the ambiguous pose you were taking on your own.”
Jane stared at the half-finished sculpture, lost in thought.
“I feel like I can do better, but why isn’t it progressing?”
Jane’s expression began to distort again. This was the first time No. 25 had seen a woman with such extreme emotional changes. Moreover, he didn’t want to experience such an unpleasant sensation again. He had to rack his brain to survive somehow. But having not properly experienced the world and only living under the wings of Aser, Charlotte, and Row, receiving warm affection, there was only one answer he could come up with on his own.
Swallowing hard and steeling his resolve, No. 25 cautiously made a suggestion to Jane.
“Um… I think it might be good to take a break outside when you’re thinking too much or getting overheated. If you regain some composure, inspiration might strike, you know?”
Jane rested her chin on her hand at No. 25’s suggestion, appearing to ponder for a moment. The brief time that followed felt like an eternity to No. 25, and Jane finally opened her mouth.
“Well, it wouldn’t be bad for a change of pace.”
Jane picked up the coat she had carelessly thrown on the floor and put it on, then grabbed the doorknob of the basement and spoke to No. 25, who was still catching his breath.
“What are you doing on the floor? Hurry up and follow me.”
“Huh?! Me too?”
From No. 25’s perspective, who had been planning to send Jane away and have a good time with Aser, it was like a bolt from the blue. At No. 25’s question, Jane tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.
“Of course you have to come with me. What’s the fun in spending time alone? You’ll just get caught up in unnecessary thoughts.”
No. 25 couldn’t refuse because of what he had already said. In the end, he got up from his seat and followed Jane with weak steps.
Outside the basement, Aser, who had already finished masturbating, was waiting for No. 25 to come out, but Jane dismissed her with a single word, not even giving her time to speak.
“I’m borrowing him for a bit.”
“What?”
“He’ll be back soon.”
No. 25 left those short words and was led out into the street by Jane’s hand.
Unlike Jane’s gloomy mansion, the streets were bustling with energy. Even while walking down the street, many people approached Jane to greet her or to have their works evaluated. However, since this was a time for rest, Jane apologized and turned away those who had come to have their works evaluated.
While walking down the street and looking at the shops, Jane stopped in front of one and pointed with her finger, opening her mouth.
“Ah, this place is pretty good.”
Without asking for No. 25’s opinion, Jane entered a restaurant full of antique decorations and naturally sat down at a large table located in the innermost part. Jane pushed the menu in front of No. 25 with a familiar gesture.
“I’m paying, so order whatever you want.”
“Can I really order anything?”
Having just been subjected to something inexplicable by Jane, No. 25 was thinking of getting petty revenge on her. Having made up his mind, he called the waiter and pointed to the menu with his hand, opening his mouth.
“I’ll take everything on here.”
“Everything…?”
“Yes.”
As No. 25 nodded, the waiter glanced at Jane. Only after confirming that Jane had slightly nodded did the waiter step back and raise his voice in the kitchen as if something big had happened. Well, that wasn’t something No. 25 needed to worry about. Jane crossed her legs and stared straight at No. 25’s face, as if surprised.
“You eat quite a bit for someone who looks like you, huh?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Well… I already said I’d pay. But if you leave any, you’re dead.”
Since the amount of food was quite large, it took a long time for it to come out. No. 25 was about to say something to break the awkward silence.
“By the way, what’s the relationship between you and the Demon Lord…?”
Before No. 25 could finish speaking, Jane shrugged her shoulders and cut him off with a single word.
“What Demon Lord? Just call me ‘Noona’ or Jane comfortably. I don’t really like being formal outside. You can even speak informally if that’s more comfortable for you.”
Jane was quite different from when she was in the castle. No. 25 couldn’t easily adapt to the change and fidgeted with the cutlery, glancing around. He had hardly ever called anyone “Noona” before, so it didn’t come naturally to him. But right now, it was a priority to match Jane’s mood.
“Noona, what kind of relationship do you have with our Demon Lord?”
“With Aser? Just old friends. Well, most Demon Lords get along well in the first place. It’s good to help each other out, so there’s no need to be enemies. Ah, but there are exceptions.”
“Exceptions?”
“Yeah, Row Unni and Lahart. Those two are too high-class to even talk to… Ha, and the biggest problem is Orca… That bitch is just a crazy woman you shouldn’t associate with. It’s strange that a docile kid like Aser hangs out with her, you know?”
Jane cursed roughly, but gave the waiter who brought the drinks as a service a slight smile and nodded.
“Thank you.”
Jane even handed No. 25 her share of the drink in front of her and said in a worried tone.
“Drink some. You couldn’t even drink water properly in the studio, right?”
“Thank you.”
No. 25 began to drink the pinkish drink, and Jane stared intently at him, then opened her mouth with a sly smile.
“By the way, you and Aser are pretty hot, aren’t you? Do you like her? How far have you gone? What was it like at first?”
As if a perverted Ajumma commonly seen in District 7 had possessed her, No. 25 spat out the drink he was drinking onto the table as a result of the unfamiliar appearance of Jane asking questions with a sly smile. After coughing several times, No. 25 blankly stared at Jane with a voice that had barely calmed down.
“I… Noona, your personality seems a bit different now than when you were in the castle.”
“Really? I’m just a bit sensitive when I’m working.”
No. 25 avoided eye contact and feigned a sulky tone.
“I… of course I like the Demon Lord. And I won’t answer the rest of your questions.”
“Okay, that’s your freedom too. Anyway, if I ask Aser, she’ll probably excitedly talk about it like a war story.”
He didn’t want to keep getting caught up in Jane’s pace. No. 25 wanted to make her uncomfortable somehow, and decided to return the questions he had just experienced.
“Then, Noona, have you ever had someone you liked?”
However, contrary to No. 25’s expectations, the question didn’t affect Jane at all. She let out a scoff as if it were ridiculous and answered nonchalantly.
“Do I look like the kind of clueless person you or Aser are? I’ve had quite a few people I liked too. Well, I’ve never had a special relationship with any of them.”
Jane’s expression, which started with a chuckle, became more and more bitter towards the end. No. 25 could instinctively feel that he had touched on a part he shouldn’t have. Memories of love are different for everyone, and it might have been a bad memory for Jane. It was a part that No. 25, who had always received unwavering affection, had overlooked.
Jane put a cigarette in her mouth with a bitter smile and sighed deeply.
“Love, it’s all useless.”
His instincts were telling him not to touch it, but there was no way to quell the curiosity that had been ignited. If it had already started, he wanted to see it through to the end. No. 25 cautiously asked Jane a question.
“Could you tell me more about it?”
Jane exhaled cigarette smoke towards No. 25’s face, then smiled as if she was dumbfounded.
“Why would you want to hear my story? You’re quite unique. You want to hear the story of someone who tormented you like that?”
“I told you my story, didn’t I? That’s not fair.”
Jane put out the cigarette in the ashtray in front of her and leaned back on the sofa.
“It won’t be fun to listen to, but okay.”
Contrary to No. 25’s expectations, Jane readily began to tell her past.
