Chapter 439 - 439: Substitute Bride of the Demon King (43)

"If you were to die this moment, then you would truly have nothing in the end," Yue Ran said. "You would leave nothing behind, reduced to nothingness."

The casual tone Yue Ran held carried an unexpected weight, striking a chord deep within his heart like the resonant toll of a bell, making him sober up at the sound of its ringing.

Andre was shocked. What the young woman said was not impossible. Her words pierced through his despair. There were all kinds of things in the world of magic, meaning that there were infinite possibilities in this world of magic; even if his magic core was destroyed, he could seek out other means to gain strength. Yes, the world is vast, teeming with strange and wondrous things, so there must always be a way— a way to regain power.

If he gave up completely, surrendering to hopelessness, then… nothing would be left.

Andre was about to speak. But as soon as he opened his mouth, the words just forming on the tip of his tongue, Yue Ran abruptly turned away and left the room. He was stunned for a brief moment, his gaze trailing after her slender, faint figure until she walked out of the room, the door closing quietly behind her.

The soft light filtering through the window illuminated her as she walked, casting a warm, golden glow around her like an ethereal halo. In the fleeting moment he watched her depart, a hint of panic washed over him. Where was she going? Would she ignore him and leave him here all alone? The thought of being left alone gnawed at him, raising a surge of anxiety in his heart.

Andre had just been given a glimmer of hope amidst all the uncertainty. Even if the hope was slim, he still wanted to give it a try. He dared himself to dream for a moment.

When Yue Ran finally returned, balancing a bowl of medicine in her hands, relief flooded through him like a cool breeze on a hot day.

Fortunately, she was still here with him.

Fortunately, he was not abandoned.

Yue Ran walked to the edge of the bed with calm, measured grace and sat down, the fabric of her dress pooling around her as she extended her hand to hand the bowl of medicine over to him once again.

"If you throw the medicine and break the bowl again this time, we will not have enough bowls left to use," she said.

Andre suddenly felt a little sorry. It seemed that his previous actions were truly bad and ignorant. He would not repeat those foolish antics after giving it some thought. Yet, beneath his newfound understanding lay a lingering awkwardness that he could not shake off.

Confusion tugged at the corners of his mind as he wondered why this young woman was determined to help him. Shouldn't she… hate him? Shouldn't she harbor resentment for the trouble he had caused? The thought gnawed at him as he hesitated, hand outstretched for the bowl of medicine.

His curiosity got the better of him, and he could not help but voice his thoughts. "Why are you… helping me?" he asked, a hint of vulnerability breaking through his awkward facade.

At his question, Yue Ran could not help but laugh out loud, the melodic sound echoing pleasantly in the quiet room. She extended her delicate hand and placed the back of her fingers on Andre's forehead, her fingertips cool against his skin.

"Helping you?" she mused, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You don't happen to have a fever, do you?"

This overly close distance took Andre by surprise, sending a jolt of shock coursing through him.

As he lifted his gaze, he found her face hovering mere inches away and still coming closer. At such a short distance, he could even count her long eyelashes clearly, each one seeming to flutter with the slightest movement. The sudden closeness left him so flustered that he struggled to keep his grip on the bowl, causing the warm, herbal concoction to slosh over the rim and spill down his fingers, a reminder of his disarray.

The face that was originally pale now flushed a vivid shade of crimson. Stammering slightly, Andre managed to stutter, "Why… why are you so close to me…"

Yue Ran's eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked up at him, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Of course, it is because I want to see if you have completely burned your brain out," she replied, her tone light yet playful.

Andre furrowed his brow in confusion. "…What do you mean?"

Yue Ran looked over and voiced her inner thoughts without any hesitation, "If you had not suggested to the Tallis noble family to push me to be married off as a substitute bride, I would not have been tossed around like an object. I do not hate you; what I have done is simply an act of returning evil with kindness. I am such a kind-hearted soul, a saint with a heart of gold, as vast and generous as the sea. So, how dare you utter such shameless words to me?"

She met his gaze with a steely glint and let out a dismissive snort.

"Just to make it clear, I am not here to help you," she said. "It would be far too easy for you to die. Watching you squirm from the torture while you are still breathing is infinitely more entertaining."

Andre: …

The young woman's words were sharp and laced with cold cruelty. However, to Andre, her remarks felt hollow, lacking any real threat. From beginning to end, Leila had never done anything to harm him; instead, she had consistently been the one to lend a helping hand, despite all the grievous wrongs he had inflicted upon her.

As he reflected on it, a deep blush crept across Andre's cheeks, fueled by an overwhelming sense of guilt. It was undeniable that he had hurt...