## Chapter 220 – Clara’s Melancholy (6)
Leaving the village, the fields outside were devoid of proper lighting, with only the starlight illuminating the path ahead. Stepping away from the enclosure of buildings felt like entering another world. In the darkness where even an inch ahead was hard to see, Clara’s mind was filled with anxious thoughts as she moved, relying on the faint light to guide her.
Being untouched by human hands had the advantage of preserving nature in its raw state, but it also meant that monsters could freely grow in size. Didn’t a massive monster attack when Ryu and Acer were resting by the sea? Clara knew those monsters posed no threat to her, but the situation was different with the two of them.
Even knowing he possessed the qualities of a Demon King, it was unreasonable to expect him to have her level of combat power right away. There was a chance he wouldn’t be able to handle a sudden nighttime attack, and she didn’t want to bear the risk of having to protect Ryu while fighting.
No, that was a lie. Unless a powerful outer god appeared, she could kill simple monsters in the blink of an eye. Ryu would never be in danger. Clara simply wanted to spend more time with Ryu. If she returned to Acer like this, Ryu would quickly forget the memory of their little escapade today.
And before long, he would have no more business in District 5 and would return to District 7. The brief detour with her would become an unimportant memory, tucked away somewhere and faded like an old, forgotten photograph.
The idea that what had changed her would become just a passing thought for him, like, “Oh, that’s how it was back then,” made her heart ache.
Clara eventually stopped walking and casually asked Ryu, “Should we rest for a bit before going back?”
Having refused Alexa’s kindness and come outside, why suddenly? Ryu, not understanding, tilted his head and said, “Wouldn’t Acer-nim be worried if we’re too late?”
Clara’s mind went blank for a moment when Ryu, whom she expected to follow willingly, reacted differently than anticipated. However, without showing any sign of embarrassment on her face, she quickly made an excuse.
“It’s also my job to bring you back to Acer in good condition.”
Only then did Ryu seem convinced by Clara’s firm stance, nodding in agreement.
Having received Ryu’s permission, Clara turned back towards the village. The small village built on the prairie closed earlier than other villages. She thought they had only been out for a short while, but most of the shops had already turned off their lights and finished preparing to close.
But those shops didn’t matter.
Every district had a place that illuminated the night and allowed people to confirm their love for each other. Without a word, Clara took Ryu’s hand and led him to the inn. Her heart was beating faster than ever.
Ryu, who knew what that building was for from his numerous experiences, pointed and asked, “Is this the right place?”
“W-Well, there’s no other place to rest around here. Come on, let’s go quickly.”
Stepping into the old, shabby five-story building, a place he never thought he would have anything to do with, required more courage than he expected.
“Oh? Demon King-nim?”
The landlady, who had been listlessly guarding the counter with a bored expression due to the lack of customers, doubted her eyes for a moment when she saw Clara hesitantly entering the building. And with a man beside her? The landlady was genuinely moved by the fact that the Demon King, who had been innocently farming, doing field work, and tending to livestock, had finally taken an interest in a man and come to the inn with a blushing face and the expression of a female in heat.
She had no regrets even if she died today.
Clara put her index finger to her lips, signaling her to be quiet, afraid that someone might recognize her. Quickly approaching the counter, Clara spoke in a hushed voice.
“Any room will do.”
Did she think she wouldn’t be recognized if she just covered her eyes with her hand? The landlady smiled contentedly at Clara’s actions and handed her a key.
“I’ll prepare the best room for you. Have a good time.”
She never thought she would use the key to a room that had been gathering dust in this place where there were hardly any men. Leaving her meaningful smile behind, Clara took Ryu’s hand and carefully headed upstairs. With each creaking step she took, black desires bloomed within her.
Inserting the key and turning it, the door opened with a cheerful click. The words “the best room” were not a lie; the entire fifth floor seemed to have been made for this room, and the bed was large enough for at least three people to lie down. Clara took off her coat and hung it on the hanger, then opened her mouth.
“Make yourself comfortable.”
Of course, the person who was least comfortable right now was her. Sitting on the sofa with a tense expression, Ryu went to the opposite side of her. Then Clara patted the seat next to her with her palm and said, “Why don’t you come sit over here?”
There was no particular reason to refuse. Ryu sat next to Clara, and at the same time, he felt a gaze staring intently at him. As she came closer, close enough for him to feel her breath, her rough breathing tickled Ryu’s eardrums.
If things continued like this, something would happen. Ryu wasn’t the only one who thought so. Clara, who had jumped up from her seat, hid her flushed face and opened her mouth.
“Can I take a shower first?”
“Yes, please do.”
She said it casually, but her heart felt like it was about to explode. Only after Clara had left to take a shower was Ryu able to take a deep breath.
The sound of water hitting Clara’s body could be heard clearly through the thin wall. How could the simple sound of washing one’s body sound so erotic? Ryu was doing his best to suppress his lower body, which was starting to react.
As time passed, Clara came out with a refreshed expression, barely covering her body with a towel. There was no way her massive breasts could be completely covered by a small towel. There was nowhere to look, with the towel seeming like it would fall off at any moment and bits of flesh starting to peek out here and there.
Unaware of Ryu’s inner thoughts, she spoke to him in a friendly manner, simply happy to have washed her body.
“Did you wait long? You should go wash up quickly too.”
In this case, it would be better to go in quickly. Entering the bathroom and taking off his clothes, he saw his penis, which had become surprisingly erect, in his view.
He hadn’t shown it, but the sensation of her full breasts was still vivid in his hands. What would it feel like to hug that soft body as much as he wanted and make love all day long? It was difficult for Ryu, who was full of sexual desire, to shake off such thoughts.
But he couldn’t just hold her against her will. If she didn’t want to, even having such thoughts was rude.
Barely shaking off his 잡념, he washed his body and came out, and thankfully, Clara was properly wearing the gown provided by the inn, unlike before. She was sitting comfortably on the bed with a relaxed expression, drinking something.
Approaching her, he could tell from the slightly flushed face and the faint smell of alcohol that it wasn’t just from the heat of the shower. Clara belatedly noticed Ryu approaching and waved her hand happily.
“I just drank it because it was here….”
Ryu didn’t think badly of people who chose alcohol as a way to unwind after a long day. Hilda in District 7 was a prime example. It was rather fortunate. If there was one thing common among drunk people, it was that they fell asleep quickly.
Before strange thoughts could overwhelm him again, Ryu made the first move.
“Shall we go to sleep now?”
Clara looked somewhat flustered but nodded her head.
“Yeah, we have to sleep early to leave tomorrow.”
That’s what she said, but she still couldn’t fall asleep. Her whole body felt itchy.
She couldn’t just push her breasts forward and tell him to touch them. How vulgar and starved would she look? Clara listened to the breathing coming from behind her and cautiously asked, “Are you asleep?”
It was impossible for Ryu to fall asleep normally in this situation. He replied in a small voice that he wasn’t.
Hearing that voice, Clara turned to her side, trying to continue the conversation somehow.
“If you don’t mind, would you tell me your story? How you’ve lived so far, how you met Acer, whether the academy was fun… Any trivial story is fine. I want to know more about you.”
He could gladly listen to that much.
“Okay.”
Ryu used the long dawn to tell Clara all sorts of stories with a happy expression, except for his days as a slave, which he had now shaken off, how he met Acer and Charlotte, and how he was raped by Orca. Of course, he didn’t talk about sex at all.
When the story was over, Clara, contrary to Ryu’s expectations, sobbed and hugged him.
“How hard it must have been….”
For Clara, the most memorable thing was that he had been separated from his parents early on and sold into slavery, rather than the stories of meeting someone. It was more comforting than she thought to have someone sympathize with her sadness.
“Can I hear Clara-nim’s story too?”
“Huh? My story? I don’t think it would be very interesting….”
“It’s unfair to only hear my story.”
“Hehe, yeah… I guess so.”
After a short conversation, Clara took a moment to catch her breath. She started the story with a somewhat different expression.
“I don’t have any particularly good memories of my past. I’ve never been loved by my father, who was the previous Demon King.”
“Huh? Why?”
With Clara’s personality, he thought she would be loved by everyone around her.
“I’m a disgrace to our clan. Have you ever heard of my race?”
He remembered hearing someone call her a Behemoth.
“We were just an ordinary cow-like demihuman clan. But I was born with this proof of the Behemoth. Everyone was afraid of me, and when they looked at me with terrified eyes, I even thought about cutting off these horns. I was a monster who couldn’t approach or befriend anyone. That was the same for my family.”
He couldn’t fully understand her life with just a few words, but the sense of loss and sadness she felt was by no means inferior to Ryu’s.
“The only things I could rely on were the crops and livestock I raised, so maybe that’s why District 5 is so peaceful now.”
Clara’s expression, with a self-deprecating smile, felt like she was crying. Seeing Ryu’s pained expression, Clara changed her expression again and started talking as if there were also happy stories.
When she talked about those who followed her, such as meeting Alexa, another Beholder visiting, and meeting Heart and Spade, Clara looked happy, unlike before.
But soon, realizing the reality, Clara spat out self-deprecating words again. It was true that she felt better after being comforted by Ryu, but it was impossible to completely shake off the matter with Spade right now.
“But why did it turn out like this now? I just wanted a harmonious family… Is my way of giving love strange? Is it because I’ve never been loved since I was young?”
“Clara-nim is not strange, and she’s not wrong either.”
Hearing Ryu’s words, Clara stared intently at his face. Ryu, who had a smooth relationship with several Demon Kings, each with a strong personality, might be able to give her the answer.
“Really? Then won’t you tell me that my way isn’t wrong? No… You tell me. How to love others.”
