Slave of the Demon King’s Castle 176

## Chapter 176 – Collusion (19)

Hilda’s words made Number 25 feel his reason wavering. The pitiful gaze, the writhing movements, the breath hot against his skin—everything around him screamed her arousal. For a fleeting moment, Number 25 recalled the time they had shared a night together. Even in what could be dismissed as a momentary indiscretion, he wanted to feel her touch again, which remained so vivid in his memory.

That temptation clearly stirred Number 25’s desires.

However, he couldn’t reciprocate her feelings. Number 25 grabbed Hilda’s shoulders with both hands and said in a trembling voice,

“I’m sorry, Hilda. I don’t want to make Master Asel or Miss Charlotte sad anymore.”

Hilda seemed to snap back to her senses at those words, waving her hands dismissively as she spoke.

“Oh, no. I must have lost my mind for a moment.”

Hilda’s wagging tail drooped, and her ears fell. She looked heartbroken, but it couldn’t be helped, for her sake as well.

‘Yes, you did well to resist.’

If he were caught again this time, he wouldn’t be able to face Asel. Moreover, thinking about how this could reach Charlotte’s ears and bring disadvantages to Hilda, even his usually reliable member showed no signs of stirring.

After a moment of silence, Hilda lowered her head deeply and thanked Number 25.

“I should be thanking you. If I had wanted you again this time, I would have really….”

Fear flickered in her eyes, now free from pleasure. Once fear takes root, it’s not easily shaken off. He understood Hilda’s heart, which couldn’t withstand the lure of pleasure that pierced through that fear, even for a moment.

But this relationship should never happen.

Starting with Jane, he was becoming quite accustomed to saying no decisively. The fear of rejection, and what that person might think of him afterward—would they hate him? Could they maintain their current relationship? Such burdens were gradually fading. A proper rejection, just once, was another stepping stone for Number 25’s growth.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Hilda stood up and left the room without a word. Number 25 couldn’t bear to watch her leave, afraid that her loneliness would be directly transmitted to him.

Number 25 was also having trouble sorting out his thoughts. How much time had passed? Thinking that worrying like this was pointless, Number 25 pulled the blanket over his head, trying to forget everything and fall asleep, when the door opened again. Assuming it was Asel or Charlotte, he slightly lowered the blanket, only to find Hilda standing there again, wearing an awkward smile.

Hiding his confusion, Number 25 asked in as calm a voice as possible,

“Hilda? Did you leave something behind?”

“No, it’s not that….”

Hilda trailed off suspiciously. Lowering his gaze slightly, he saw a bottle of alcohol in her hand. He had an uneasy feeling. It was like the day they first made a mistake. Alcohol was definitely the problem back then.

Could it be that she was borrowing the courage of alcohol to continue what she couldn’t say or do earlier? That thought gnawed at Number 25’s mind. If she tempted him again this time, how could he refuse? Just as he was thinking that, Hilda handed the bottle to Number 25 and said in a bright voice,

“Take care of this for a while!”

Caught off guard, Number 25 stared at Hilda with a dumbfounded expression. Hilda avoided his gaze shyly, placed the bottle next to Number 25, and scratched her head.

“I’ve been called stupid by many people, but I’ve been thinking a lot this time.”

Hilda’s self-deprecating voice trembled with a pitiable quality. Number 25 got up from the bed and patted the spot next to him, as if telling Hilda to come over. Hilda hesitated before sitting next to Number 25, and Number 25 spoke in a gentle voice as he looked at her.

“It’s okay. You can take your time.”

“Yeah, thanks. You’re so kind. You’re just being nice, but I keep misunderstanding.”

When Number 25 didn’t respond, Hilda placed her hand on his shoulder and spoke familiarly.

“You don’t have to make that face. I don’t mean anything by it.”

After finishing her words, Hilda flopped onto the bed and said in a weaker voice than before,

“I didn’t know I would be like this either. Is it because it’s my first time being so close to a man? I know in my head that I shouldn’t do these things, but when I see you or when I’m next to you like this, I can’t help it. It feels like my reason is snapping?”

Number 25 also felt the same way Hilda did from time to time. It was mainly when he was with Asel, Charlotte, and Lowen. Knowing what those feelings were, Number 25 didn’t open his mouth rashly, knowing that she was the one suffering the most right now.

“It was the same earlier. My body got hot, and I couldn’t think of anything but wanting you. Isn’t a woman like that weird?”

Number 25 shook his head and replied,

“Not weird at all. It’s not just Hilda; I’m the same. It’s my responsibility in the first place. And Hilda is attractive enough, and if I didn’t have Master….”

Perhaps because he wanted to comfort Hilda, his words weren’t properly organized. Hilda looked at Number 25 and, before he could finish speaking, she suddenly leaned in close to Number 25. Along with a pleasant fragrance, Hilda smiled playfully.

“Thank you for saying that.”

It was a smile that felt somewhat sad, but Number 25 couldn’t speak. Hilda picked up the bottle of alcohol she had put down earlier.

“If we didn’t have this alcohol, we wouldn’t have ended up in this kind of relationship. Not this twisted relationship, but a real close friend….”

Tears welled up in Hilda’s red eyes. When Number 25 looked at her with a worried gaze, Hilda wiped away her tears with her sleeve as if to say she was okay, and said in a slightly choked voice,

“But I don’t want to disappear from your side by crossing the line like before. When I can see your face again with pride someday, let’s have a drink together then. Until then, I’ll try to change too.”

Ah, I see.

Number 25 realized. As he changed, the people around him also took a step forward. Change wasn’t limited to himself but applied to everyone around him. Number 25 carefully took the bottle of alcohol Hilda was holding and smiled comfortably, unlike before.

“Okay. Then I’ll keep this.”

Only then did Hilda seem relieved, smiling with the brightest expression she had shown so far. The wolfish canines unique to werewolves greeted Number 25 cutely in her toothy smile.

Getting up quickly from the bed, Hilda straightened her clothes and opened her mouth with a smile on her face.

“Okay, let’s end the dark talk here. Let’s greet each other brightly from tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

Hilda, who left the room with a short greeting, had a much lighter step than when she first entered. Unlike before, Hilda, who came out of Number 25’s room with a pleasant smile, couldn’t hide her excitement as she looked forward to the changes that would come from tomorrow.

Of course, that feeling quickly extinguished like a candle in the wind. A presence was felt in front. Hilda raised her head and looked ahead, and her heart sank.

Silver hair shining coolly in the moonlight and golden eyes like those of a predator. Charlotte, with her arms crossed and leaning against the wall, was staring intently at Hilda, who had just come out of Number 25’s room.

No words came to mind.

Her mind was completely blank.

She could only think of wanting to get out of this place, wanting to live.

Charlotte slowly approached Hilda, who was trembling like an aspen tree, and opened her mouth in a small voice that wouldn’t be heard by Number 25 in the room.

“I was wondering what you were talking about so earnestly… so that’s what it was?”

Her heart, which had almost stopped once, began to beat madly fast as if in reaction. Hilda didn’t even dare to make eye contact and was only uttering apologies.

Confirming that Charlotte’s shadow was approaching her face, Hilda squeezed her eyes shut in fear. She had told Number 25 that she would see him tomorrow, but was this the end here? Still, if this was the last meeting, she had no regrets. She had relieved the burden he felt and conveyed all her feelings.

But what she felt afterward was a touch as warm as a mother’s. Hilda slowly opened her eyes and looked at Charlotte in an incomprehensible situation.

What was reflected in her eyes was Charlotte’s benevolent smile, just like when she looked at Number 25. Charlotte quietly stroked Hilda’s head without saying anything and slowly took her hand away.

“Miss Charlotte?”

Charlotte, who turned her back on Hilda, slowly moved her steps and opened her mouth without looking back.

“Wake up an hour earlier from tomorrow. I’m thinking of entrusting you with the management of the new recruits and part of the mansion from now on.”

She wasn’t stupid enough not to know what those words meant. Hilda bowed deeply to Charlotte’s receding figure. The tears mixed with guilt that began to fall steadily showed no signs of stopping for a while.