I Got a Job as the Demon King's Plaything - Chapter 38
She gathered her courage and slipped into the shadows of the trees in the garden. But then, an all-too-familiar voice echoed from behind her.
“That’s far enough.”
Startled, Bonita spun around. The pale moonlight illuminated a figure with long silver hair. It was Rento.
“If you return quietly to your room now, I’ll pretend I saw nothing.”
Bonita gripped the dinner knife tightly in both hands, holding it out in front of her. Her hands trembled uncontrollably. Rento slowly shook his head.
“Put it down. That won’t do you any good.”
“H-how did you know?”
She stammered, wondering how he had found out about her attempt to escape. Rento gave her a bitter smile and asked in return,
“How do you think I knew when that guard tried to break into your room before?”
“No way…”
“I placed a magical ward on your door. You’re not the first to try and escape. If someone who shouldn’t enter comes in, or someone who shouldn’t leave steps out, I’m immediately alerted.”
He had known the moment she stepped out of her room. Tears welled up in Bonita’s eyes.
“Can’t you just pretend you didn’t see me? You said someone escaped before. I can do it too, just like them, without anyone knowing…”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“Please… You know what I’m going through. If I had known it would be like this, I would never have agreed to this.”
At her desperate plea, Rento sighed, his expression tinged with bitterness as he shook his head again.
“But it’s not entirely unbearable, is it?”
“What are you saying…?”
“Even a half-hearted attempt is enough for me. I’m well aware of what emotions you experience while you’re working, Bonita.”
It wasn’t the first time Rento had been nearby when she was being humiliated. Bonita’s face flushed a deep red. Unable to bear the shame, she squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the knife tighter. Rento watched her, his voice gentle but firm as he spoke.
“This is your final warning. Go back to your room.”
“I-I won’t.”
“You can’t harm me with that dull knife.”
In response, Bonita turned the knife toward herself. She brought the blade to her throat, her voice shaking as she said,
“But it’ll leave a mark on me, won’t it? At least it’s sharp enough to cut meat.”
“Don’t pretend to have the courage for something you can’t follow through with.”
“Please, just look the other way. I beg you… You’re half-human, aren’t you? If there’s even a shred of sympathy in you for another human, please… let me go.”
Despite her desperate plea, Rento shook his head. Raising his hand, he extended it toward her, and the knife slipped from her grip, flying away and clattering to the ground behind her. The sound made Bonita flinch, her shoulders trembling.
“I’m sorry, but I am Lord Teshiel’s most loyal servant.”
Before she realized it, Rento had moved closer. He struck the back of her neck with the edge of his hand. As her body went limp and she collapsed, Rento caught her easily, murmuring quietly to himself, “I cannot let the woman who has affected him like this live.”
The sound of the door bursting open startled Bonita awake. It was still the dead of night, the room shrouded in darkness. She was lying in her own bed. A large shadow stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the faint light from the corridor. She couldn’t see the face, but she didn’t need to. The familiar horns atop the figure’s head made it clear who it was.
“L-Lord Teshiel…”
Until now, he had never once come to Bonita’s room. This couldn’t be real.
Teshiel stood motionless in the doorway. His massive silhouette seemed to block out all the light, and Bonita felt as if the very air around her was suffocating. The fact that he wasn’t saying anything made it even more terrifying. She couldn’t find her voice either.
After a moment, he strode into the room. With just a few steps, Teshiel stood beside the bed, easily lifting Bonita into his arms.
“Ah…”
