I was positively sure that I wasn't dreaming nor had a part of my memories erased overnight. It was Ms. Yul—in the flesh—but how the hell did she get here in Zemoria? I should feel happy to see her but . . . I felt something heavy was anchoring my chest.
"Ms. Yul? T-That's really you, right? How did you end up here?" I squinted my eyes. It was still dark outside, but thanks to the wall lamp hanging outside our door, it gave me enough light to see her angry face. "Why don't we take a sit and talk after you've calmed down—"
"Calm down?" She glared at me. "You . . . ungrateful . . . despicable . . . cruel boy!" I flinched at her loud voice. She was serious. "How dare you tell me to calm down when you did something beyond unspeakable!"
"Beyond unspeakable? You mean . . ." I glanced at Cordelia. Her face was kind of unreadable. Either she was holding back a retort or hiding the look of embarrassment. "We were . . . I can explain—"
"I'm not talking about her! I don't give a shit about your woman or how many women you've fucked in bed! Don't play dumb with me right now, LE-ON!"
Ms. Yul was raging, just yelling at the top of her lungs. I deeply felt the pain in her voice. It penetrated through my heart and that snapped some sense into me. I'd come to slowly realize what her anger was all about.
LE-ON. She was talking about my idol life in Terra. The idol life that I chose to seal off from my memories, hoping to get rid of those haunting images in my head: the fake car crash accident and the heartbreaking cries of my fans.
I felt cold. I couldn't process what was going on as if my brain . . . had malfunctioned. Ms. Yul kept yelling at me, but I only heard muffled words. I'd retreated to my own little world, sinking deeper into my scattered thoughts. I recalled that time when King Asmodeus gave me seven days to prepare myself before leaving Terra and my mom behind.
It wasn't exactly . . . a smooth preparation. I had my fair share of doubts, worries, and fears.
Right after breaking down in my room, I appeared to be optimistic in front of my mom. But in reality, I'd been trying so hard to hide my feeling of unease, block off my negative emotions, and ignore the reality of accepting my real identity within seven days.
Even until to this day, I'd been showing Cordelia and Rhea that I look fine but . . . I'd only been fooling myself into thinking that I got myself all under control . . . wait. Under control?
I'd heard from religious people that demons attack people, mentally, whenever they feel vulnerable. Demons whisper deceiving words that will steal, kill, and destroy all your joys, hopes and dreams to make you stumble and fall—completely.
Then, am I unconsciously 'feeding' my demon with negative energy?
'Heh . . . and here I thought you're plain stupid and ignorant.'
"What—"
A sharp needle-like pain pulsated in my head. I held my head and opened my mouth, but my voice wouldn't come out. I tried to signal Ms. Yul that something was wrong with me by using my eyes, but she failed to see right through me.
"Huh? What do you mean by what? Look at you! You're being a pitiful crybaby again. Don't wear that frown on your face, mister! You always stay quiet and do things alone whenever you think of your problems and own solutions! Death is an unacceptable solution!
"Did you ever care about our feelings? Is it that easy to throw everything away as if we've never existed?" Ms. Yul raised a fist and pounded on the barrier. She was choking back her tears. Seeing that only made me feel worse, and the headache.
'You don't care at all. That's why you shut people out. Afraid to inconvenience them.'
Shut up! I shouldn't let the demon penetrate through my conscious state, but Ms. Yul's words weren't helping at all. The guilt was overpowering me.
"Why did you . . . fake your death and kept this whole supernatural ordeal a secret?"
'You like being alone. Loneliness is your friend.'
"I thought . . . I thought you trusted me? Didn't you say you'd be honest with me?"
'You're a liar. You even lied to yourself.'
"You liar! You liar! You liar!"
"Now wait just a minute—" Rhea was about to step in, but Cordelia pulled her back.
I could hear them whispering to each other, but I couldn't get them to notice that something was wrong with me. My head was spinning.
"Why are you stopping me, Cordelia? Are we going to let her talk down to our master? Whoever she is, she is being utterly rude and misunderstanding everything!"
"Please, calm down! Ms. Yul is Lord Dylan's former manager."
"Former manager?" Rhea frowned.
"Lord Dylan made the heaviest decision to leave his idol life after King Asmodeus revealed his true identity," Cordelia said. She quietly stepped forward and waved her hand, so the barrier disappeared. "I do not know what could have happened after that encounter with his father . . . but Ms. Yul's feelings are valid. I see what needs to be done now." She gave Ms. Yul a soft, but warning look. "I am allowing you inside for Lord Dylan's sake. Talk it out. You may hit him, but do not kill him. I will have my power answer to you."
Rhea didn't look pleased. Ms. Yul didn't care. She hurriedly waltzed in, stomping towards me. I panicked . . . and that somehow made my speech return.
"Cor . . . delia." Yes, I can talk! "I . . . appreciate you speaking for me but—"
Too late. Ms. Yul slapped the shit out of me. I felt myself falling until my back hit the floor hard. My first reaction was to yell at her like an angry old man stuck in traffic.
"My head almost flew off!" I stayed down, holding my stinging cheek. "Why are you so strong? Is your hand made of steel?"
Huh? I can talk straight again. That . . . slap worked or something else?
"Do you know how devastated I was to hear the news of your death?" Ms. Yul asked. Her voice almost broke.
She sat on my lap, grabbed my collar, and pulled me up. She raised her hand and I shut my eyes closed. I thought she was going to slap me again, but she gently touched my swollen cheek. I looked at her in shock, but not because of what she did. Her hand . . . was cold as ice.
Ms. Yul spoke gently this time. I could hear what she was saying, but what she could have possibly done to herself weighed more in my mind.
"Do you have any idea how selfish you are for leaving your fans heartbroken and depressed? Why? Out of all reasons . . . you could have . . . you could have said that you were retiring from your idol life. I . . . I'd accept that kind of news from our sweet boss. But you . . ."
Tears rolled down my face. Her words affected me, but what made it such a hard blow was when I finally concluded that Ms. Yul had discarded the human part of her to become a new race—a turned vampire.
I hadn't asked Cordelia if their biology is built differently. Ms. Yul's pale skin didn't look like a pureblood vampire. She radiated no heat from her body either.
She could be really dead.
More importantly, my headache was completely gone. I didn't even notice the change because . . . I got distracted by another thing? Whatever just happened to me, analyzing can wait.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, acknowledging Ms. Yul's thoughts and feelings. I leaned her head on my shoulder and locked her in a tight embrace. She let every tensed part of her body relax as I spoke to her. "It is selfish of me. I know the damage is irreversible, but I hope you can forgive this pitiful crybaby," I joked, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm still here. I won't go anywhere."
Ms. Yul had always called me a crybaby ever since she began working for me. Many things in life moved my heart too easily . . . and made me sulk in one corner. I always believed it was her way to help me stand on my feet and move forward in life. This time, she added a very personal slap. I'm just praying there won't be a next time.
"Are you done now, Dearie? Get off Lord Dylan before I smack you unconscious with my hand fan!" Rhea grabbed Ms. Yul's collar and she pulled her off my lap.
"Hand fan? Did I hear that right?" I stared at the two ladies who were fighting over who gets to sit on my lap.
Cordelia sighed loudly. She knelt beside me and worked on healing my swollen cheek. "Lord Dylan is correct. It is Rhea's weapon of choice. You may not see it on her at the moment, but she can summon it out of thin air with the help of a summoning accessory. Everyone has the ability to do it."
Not surprised. It was just like one of those Fantasy RPG games. Summon your weapon and it magically appears in your hand or mid-fight . . . if you're the type to show off your skills. I'm just curious about how it was done.
"Ah . . . I'm just glad that this is over." I smiled. I could perfectly see that Ms. Yul was back to her usual confrontational self, but I wouldn't say everything was back to normal.
It wasn't.
"Tell us why you are here in the first place!" Rhea crossed her arms. "You better not be lying or I'll peck your eyes out!"
Cordelia was done healing my cheek. She helped me up while I waited for Ms. Yul's answer.
"Oh? Do you really want to know? Very well!" She wore a proud look on her face and said, "Dylan's Daddykins—or should I say—the King of Lust assigned a special mission that only I can execute!"
Oh, no. I had a horrified look on my face when I finally figured out the reason why she was in Zemoria. She's the—
"I'm the new servant! I shall handle all the finances and expenses of this household, and that includes finding a new job for our master."
Hell, no. I'm doomed . . . in a good way.