Chapter 138: ¹³⁸Lilith’s Decision

?"Brother...?" Elara whispered again, tears welling in her blind eyes. "Why does it feel so lonely...?"

?Not a single human or demon in the hall could offer an answer. They stood frozen, pierced by the pure despair radiating from the little girl.

?Berta was the first to break from the paralysis.

?She hurried forward, ignoring her wrinkled apron. She pulled Elara into a warm, motherly embrace, resting the girl’s head against her chest.

?"Shh... it’s alright, Lady Elara. It’s going to be alright," Berta soothed, her voice trembling as her hand gently stroked Elara’s fragile back.

?"Let us go back to your room. Young Master just needs some rest. Auntie will stay with you, okay?"

?Miya Evarett rushed over. The petite Elf physician carefully guided Elara from the other side.

?Slowly, they guided Elara away from the suffocating tension of the main hall until her bedroom door shut with a soft creak.

?The hallway plunged back into a suffocating silence.

?Miya leaned her back against the cold stone wall directly outside Elara’s door.

?Her long blonde hair was a disheveled mess, the small braid tied with a white ribbon at the back of her head coming undone.

?Both of her palms still burned—residual heat from the Crimson Radiance she had squeezed out to her very last drop of mana. Yet, all that effort felt entirely futile.

?Miya lowered her pale face. Tears trickled from the corners of her violet eyes, dampening the hem of her maid dress.

?She bit her lower lip hard enough to taste metallic blood.

?She felt like an utter failure.

?She was an S-Rank Healer, a Hidden Sage of the North. Yet as her master lay on the brink of death, she was powerless. Ethan’s pulse was far too weak, his mana circuits shattered beyond repair.

?"I... I couldn’t save him..." Miya sobbed softly.

?"Of course you couldn’t. You’re going about it all wrong, Little Physician."

?Miya flinched. She looked up sharply, hastily wiping her tears.

?From the shadows of the hallway, Lilith stepped into view.

?The demon looked drastically different. Gone was the provocatively slipping dress, the flirtatious smirks, and the mocking laughter.

?Lilith stood tall, radiating absolute authority. Her pink hair fell straight, her maid outfit adjusted impeccably neat. Her skin was as pale as milk, and her reddish-gold eyes locked onto Miya with piercing sharpness.

?Lilith came to a stop two meters in front of Miya.

?"You did your best to stabilize his physical body," Lilith spoke in a low, near-whisper. "But you forgot one crucial thing."

?Miya furrowed her brows. "W-what do you mean?"

?Lilith glanced toward the door of the master bedroom where Ethan lay. Her eyes narrowed sharply.

?"Our master is no ordinary human you can heal with potions or light magic," Lilith explained coldly.

?"There is demonic essence dwelling within him. A dark entity far more ancient, far darker, and far more absolute than myself."

?Miya froze. Her petite lips parted, but no words escaped.

?She had sensed energy anomalies within Ethan all along, but hearing direct confirmation from a true demon made her blood run cold.

?Lilith looked back at Miya, a faint flicker of desperation hidden deep within her eyes.

?"I don’t know where it came from—a contract, a curse, or if it truly flows in his blood. But I can feel it," Lilith continued, taking a step forward.

?"...And that essence requires fuel so it does not die out."

?Miya swallowed hard with great difficulty. "F-fuel?"

?"Pure darkness does not feed on healing magic, Miya," Lilith stated firmly. "It feeds on desire. Pure sin."

?Miya’s analytical mind instantly connected this to the Lust Brand throbbing hot against her left thigh. Her eyes widened completely.

?"We can save him tonight," Lilith stated with absolute certainty. "But not through medical means."

?Leaving Miya to process the reality, Lilith turned and walked back toward the main hall.

?There, the three human servants sat in suffocating silence.

?Asrof stood rigid as a statue near the table, the dried bloodstains on his sleeves marring his neat uniform. Berta sobbed into her apron, covering her face, while Yuna kept her head bowed low, her eyes swollen and hair disheveled.

?Lilith stopped before them.

?"The three of you deserve to know," Lilith opened, shattering the silence. "Your master is no ordinary human."

?Asrof tensed. Berta covered her mouth, choking back her sobs. Yuna’s hands gripped the edge of her apron tightly.

?"There is a demonic essence inside Ethan Valen," Lilith continued without beating around the bush.

?"It is the source of his absurd power. The reason he is so ridiculously strong. And tonight, that essence has run out of fuel."

?Asrof stared at Lilith for a long moment. The white-haired veteran’s jaw clenched.

?There was no fear in his eyes, only understanding finally finding its place. So that’s why the Young Master was always different... Asrof thought.

?The old man closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and reopened them.

?"Then what must we do?" he asked firmly, his soldier instincts taking over.

?Lilith offered a faint, bitter smile.

?"You don’t need to do anything. You are ordinary humans," Lilith answered.

?"Guard the main entrance. Make sure no one disturbs us tonight. And most importantly... do not let Lady Elara anywhere near that room."

?Asrof gave a sharp nod. A soldier’s promise.

?In her seat, Berta wept once more. "Young Master... that child..." she sobbed raspily. "Has he been bearing all that cursed weight alone this entire time?"

?Lilith didn’t answer. Her gaze shifted to the young maid at the corner of the table.

?Yuna still hadn’t raised her head. Her petite hands trembled in her lap.

?"Yuna," Lilith called softly.

?The girl looked up slowly. Her light-brown eyes were severely swollen, her lips trembling as she held back tears.

?"Do you truly love him?" Lilith asked, piercing right through her defenses.

?Yuna flinched. The question crushed her chest. Tears welled and fell from her eyelids once more.

?She knew her place. She possessed no magic or combat abilities like the noblewomen her master brought home. She was just Yuna.

?"I-I..." Yuna choked up. Yet she forced her eyes to meet Lilith’s with genuine, desperate sincerity.

?"I don’t care if he’s a demon or a human. I don’t care what he is... I will stay here. Serving him."

?Lilith gazed at Yuna without a shred of judgment. She gave a small, empathetic nod—recognizing a pure love that demanded nothing in return.

?"Good," Lilith said gently. "Pray for him, Yuna. Our master will need every bit of strength he can get tonight."

?Lilith turned and walked toward the living room where Ethan’s ’properties’ were gathered.

?The atmosphere in the dimly lit room was far heavier.

?Isolde von Rosenberg sat upright on an old sofa. Her blue silk dress was dirty and torn at the hem. Her platinum-blonde hair hung in messy strands, while her icy-blue eyes looked cold and hollow without her glasses. Beneath her dress, the black rose root tattoo pulsed passively.

?Near the window, Kaelia von Ashford stood restlessly. Her Student Council uniform was wrinkled. Heavy dark circles framed her golden eyes. The flame-rose tattoo on her lower abdomen radiated growing heat.

?Valera Voss leaned against the wall in her black leather armor. Her right arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and her massive Zweih?nder rested near her feet. The spiral rose tattoo on the left side of her neck twitched faintly.

?Laras curled up in a corner, hugging her knees inside an oversized cream dress. Deep purple bruises still shadowed her face and thin neck.

?Miya had just joined them, sitting tensely while clutching her medical bag tightly against her chest.

?Lilith stepped into the center of the room, sweeping her gaze across the five women with absolute authority.

?"I won’t beat around the bush," Lilith began. "Our master is dying. His energy is completely drained. The only way to restore his mana circuits... is to unite with him. Physically."

?A deathly silence blanketed the room.

?Isolde didn’t blink. Her icy-blue eyes met Lilith’s with the cold calculation typical of an Archmage.

?"Are you certain of this method?" Isolde asked clearly.

?Lilith raised her chin. "I am a Succubus, Lady Rosenberg. Manipulating desire and life force is my very nature."

?Isolde closed her eyes for a brief moment, then offered a slow nod. "I agree."

?No hesitation. Only absolute compliance.

?Kaelia’s alabaster face flushed bright crimson. Her lips parted to protest, but remembering Ethan’s dying, blood-soaked condition, she shut her mouth. She turned her face away, gripping her uniform tightly. Her pride revolted, yet her body did not refuse.

?Valera scoffed loudly from her spot against the wall. "Tch. A troublesome way just to patch up a wound."

?Lilith shot her a sharp glance. "Do you have a better idea, Wild Knight?"

?Valera smirked faintly, showing her white teeth. "Nope. And I don’t care, as long as he gets back on his feet and gives me orders again."

?Miya lowered her head deep, clutching her knees as she felt the crimson rose tattoo glowing hot against her left thigh. "I... I will help," she whispered.

?"Are you certain, Miya?" Lilith asked. "This is not your sacred healing magic."

?Miya nodded stiffly. "Ethan is my Master. I have already pledged my life."

?Finally, Lilith looked toward the frail figure in the corner. Laras.

?The girl looked back at Lilith with tearful, red eyes. Her body trembled from lingering trauma, yet she offered a gentle nod.

?"I-I don’t mind," Laras whispered raspily. She glanced toward the hallway. "Master... saved me from hell. This is nothing in comparison."

?Lilith offered a thin smile—an acknowledgment of their loyalty.

?Before the ritual began, Miya turned the doorknob to Elara’s room once more.

?Inside, Elara lay restlessly. Her blind eyes darted beneath her closed eyelids.

?"Lady Elara..." Miya called gently.

?"Miya?" Elara reached blindly at the air. "Brother Ethan... he still feels so lonely..."

?Miya swallowed the lump in her throat. She took Elara’s small hand, holding it warmly.

?"You need to rest, My Lady. Young Master is sleeping. Once he wakes up, I will call you."

?Elara fell silent. Her instincts whispered that something was being kept from her. Yet her body was far too fragile to resist.

?"Is Brother Ethan... going to be alright?" Elara whispered with a tremble.

?Miya forced a smile that Elara could not see. "We will make sure the Young Master is alright, My Lady."

?"Thank you, Miya..."

?Miya stepped back and closed the door tightly. She let out a long breath, holding back the heartache of that sweet lie, before turning around to rejoin the others.

?In front of the master bedroom door, the formation was complete.

?Lilith stood at the very front, hand resting on the doorknob. Behind her, Isolde, Kaelia, Valera, Laras, and Miya lined up in tense, heavy silence.

?"Is everyone ready?" Lilith whispered.

?Miya nodded.

?Lilith pressed the door handle down and pushed it open.

?In the center of the dimly lit room, Ethan Valen lay helpless on the bed. His face was as pale as alabaster, his breathing agonizingly slow and thin.

?On the left side of his chest, visible beneath his unbuttoned black shirt, the Horned Crown tattoo pulsed with a extremely faint crimson glow—as if on the verge of extinguishing.

?Lilith stepped inside, followed by Isolde, Kaelia, Valera, Miya, and Laras. The wooden door locked shut behind them, severing them from the outside world.

?Lilith turned around, her reddish-gold eyes glowing in the darkness of the room.

?"From this moment on, you belong to Master," Lilith whispered like an intoxicating spell. "And tonight, we drag him back from the brink of death."

?As if responding to that command, the Lust Brands across all six women erupted in unison!

?A magical purple radiance burst from Isolde’s back. A blazing red light erupted across Kaelia’s abdomen. A wild black-gold flash pulsed violently on Valera’s neck. A warm pale-red glow emanated from Miya’s thigh. A faint dark-red aura flared across Laras’s back.

?And from Lilith’s own chest, a black rose burned with dense crimson fire.

?Six seals of sin illuminated Ethan’s chamber, creating a harmonious, mystical radiance.

?The ritual of unification to save the Demon Lord officially began.