Chapter 63: Confrontation

**The Demon’s Love**

*Chapter 63: Confrontation*

Amari’s

I stood before my Uncle, whose grin was oddly wider than his usual. It was uncanny that he got without any evident wound and injuries – it was as if he had never felt challenged like he knew the way here in the palms of his hands. I don’t know exactly since I never meddled into his affairs.

However, it was unsettling. I felt like I was being suffocated just by the looks of his expression and especially gaze. My heart beats fast, conveying that my emotions were at its peak – furious and uneasy. She clenched her fists, not wanting to back down just because the owner of this body was scared. Amari and she might be two worlds apart but she had already pledged that she wouldn’t be a scaredy-cat while facing her Uncle. If ever, he should be the one terrified as she presumed he had some relations regarding Count Berkoln’s death.

She faintly smiled and spoke. “It had been a long time, Uncle.”

My Uncle smirked amusingly. “Indeed, it was. How was my surprise?”

I frowned at him. What does hee mean by surprise when he never sent any physical gift? No, wait. Gifts doesn’t mean to be tangible; it could be intangible. I widened my eyes at realization and snickered. I had always thought my Uncle was wisely cunning but he was also fairly kind as he didn’t beat me that much. However, in this case, what he wanted to do was to bring demise to everyone.

I walked over to him, “Right, a mere beginner to scheme people wouldn’t think that much.”

He scratched his forehead slowly as if pondering of what I had said. It was mesmerizing that he was composed even in this moment of confrontation. Underestimating would be an understatement now. In all fairness, I feel like I was just scammed.

He said, “I always admire your intelligence but now I had realized that it depends on the situation. Well, brains works better if you were in a calmer and better circumstances”, He beamed, “Nevertheless, was it surprising? I assumed it as a good gift.”

Furrowing my brows, I couldn’t distinguish what he had on his mind. I knew for sure he was mocking me but his movements were restrained since Rymond and Zaren were right outside the door. If ever I was in danger, Rymond would sense it through our pact. I glanced at the entrance and smiled at him.

“Excruciatingly painful. You killed someone for your benefits.”

He shrugged his shoulders, “We haven’t seen each other for a long time yet you act like this? Am I that hateful?”

I shook my head. He raised me up as Amari, although there were shortcomings and his way of raising me up was spectacularly different, I still lived well with money and food I could ever think of.

“Not really. You were a good father… An Uncle, I meant to say”, I sat on the chair, “But thinking of what you had done, I am starting to hate you.”

Unlike my expectations, he merely nodded his head. “Yes, I could understand that much.”

I rose up after briefly sitting and told him as I faced the entrance of the tent. “Hurt them again and I’d truly hate you.”

“I’m looking forward…”

***

Rymond folded his arms with a grunt. “Just how did things go south?”

“Maybe it’s originally from the north.” Zaren joked while I ironically looked up at him and Rymond couldn’t help but snicker. Out of all jokes he should have blurted, this far was the funniest. But considering the situation we were in; I don’t think that was ideal.

We were currently facing Bal, who was tied by Rymond’s powerful string. I confined my supposed to be laughter with a close of my eyes. I wasn’t aware he could pull a joke with a straight yet cold voice. How come he was cool even in this situation? Isn’t he ashamed that his joke wasn’t that hilarious? Ah, it’s hard not to laugh.

I cleared my throat, looking solemnly at Bal. “Why did you do it?”

With ties around him, he coughed up blood. It was clear that he had been beaten up before he could even fight. Did Rymond beat him up or was it Zaren? These two were strangely in sync when it comes to killing or evil deeds. Are they close or doing it solely for my sake?

“… I don’t k-know. Maybe because y-you’re stronger t-than me…?”

Stronger than him doesn’t need for him to hate me that much. I didn’t do that much yet his eyes were boiling with anger. I couldn’t understand why he had to be like that.

“How pitiful of you.” I merely spoke, not wanting my emotions to get the better of me. I crouched on the floor, touching his chin softly, gazing at his blood that dripped from his mouth, “I really understand why you thought of me that way since I want to be me, too.”

Bal’s aggravated eyes glared into mine while I cracked a smile. I rose up, turning around and saying to these men.

“Deal with him. I don’t care if he’d dead or alive by then.”

I closed my eyes as our memories suddenly flowed to my brain. Other than my Uncle, he showed me benevolence, he was kind to everything and as I had mentioned before, he even took care of me dutifully when I got sick.

Zaren, however, wrapped his hand around my shoulder. Rymond will settle with him so let’s rest for a while.”

I nodded my head. “Of course.”

Zaren led me quite a distance from the barracks and then we sat on the grass. He set his coat around me as I smiled at him. I used to decline him, hate him, and push him away. But now I feel like I have the whole world with me. My Uncle is a cruel man and I hate to admit that he had done evil deeds. After Darkness, I might need to settle out affairs.

“What do you feel?”

I looked at Zaren, overlooking the sight. There was still this sight despite that Dark Magic swirled around. It was calming.

“It’s complicated, I supposed.”

He nodded his head, “Bal had a transaction with your Uncle. When we asked him, he pointed out that his family was on the stake. We needed to punish him, yet I feel bad. It was the expense of his family’s lives…”, he looked at out intertwined hands while having a slight smile, “It was terrible that he had to scheme us for his family.”

I sparked a smile. “Right, I feel so bad right now. Do we need to pull him out of his punishment? But what about us?”

“I wonder the same. What will happen if we let him go and he’d do the exact same thing? If betrayal is a definition it was something that was as easy as putting a bracelet.”

I chuckled, “But why bracelet?”

“… Hm, I don’t know. What matters now the most is your safety and your needed protection”, he looked into my eyes, “I want you to be safe. And if there’s anything you need, do ask me. I’d hate it if I wouldn’t be able to do anything just a little something for you.”

I nodded my head, hugging him as I laid my head on his chest. “I will, thank you.”

“Hm, let’s stay for a while.”

“Of course.”