Chapter 36
“I was only away for a month, but the atmosphere of the mansion has changed a lot.”
Hubert made a remark while exploring the Pfalzgraf family garden.
This country, Einos, is well-known for its beauty in the spring, but the Pfalzgraf family’s garden stood out beyond all others.
The Pfalzgraf family, known for its long history and persistent benevolence, frequently received gifts from both overseas and within Einos, with plants being the easiest and most distinctive gift to send.
As trees and plants were presented one by one, the Pfalzgraf family’s garden grew to be more diverse than the royal castle itself.
Walking around the garden, one could view diverse trees and plants from spring to winter, east to west, and north to south of the continent, as if passing through them in a single breath.
There were even individuals who explicitly sought meetings to visit this location, demonstrating its importance.
As a result, the number of gardeners was two to three times that of other mansions, and even this number was insufficient at times, necessitating the frequent drafting of slaves for garden care.
“Check out these flowers. They have flowered brilliantly.”
“Flowers are the first to recognize the arrival of spring.”
“Come to think of it, you’ve always enjoyed gardening since you were a child. Every time I came in for a checkup, you would inquire about the flowers blooming on the other side, and now that you have been through the garden yourself, it warms this old man’s heart.”
“It’s all thanks to Doctor Hubert’s treatments.”
Adrian reflected on the occasions Hubert mentioned as he softly touched the petals of a blooming hyacinth.
When he awoke as a human as a result of Lilith’s curse, he was overcome with pain he had never felt before.
It was terrible, as if his entire body, head to toe, was about to explode.
For Satan, who had never felt pain in his life, being held alive in a cage was even more confusing and terrifying.
However, from an environmental standpoint, this location was preferable to hell.
As a demon who valued art and beauty, he had witnessed and admired human art.
He adored the works of art created by skilled sculptors throughout their lives and occasionally marveled at the garden’s green vibrancy.
Even though he was confined to his room, unable to support his feeble body and could only look out the window, he found it refreshing and enjoyable.
He was especially thankful to the servant who had sacrificed her life in his seventh year.
Without her, he would continue to spend six days a week lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.
The vision was still clear in front of his eyes.
The woman, writhing and dying, had accidentally fallen into a cellar that the staff rarely inspected.
Her eyes were the color of dead fish, pleading for help.
A small pulse fluttered down her slender neck like gills, urgently beating but faint.
It was a weak spark that could be readily extinguished under any pressure.
Adrian had the tool at his disposal to extinguish such a feeble spark.
“Ugh… cough… ke… kek…”
A history book specifically chosen for extended reading periods.
Its corner was heavy enough to send a person to their grave.
He placed the book over her writhing neck and squeezed down.
The face that had been relieved to be alive was now filled with anguish and terror.
“Why would the young master, why me?” Her black pupils twitched and rolled.
Her eyes’ veins expanded to the point of bursting.
He required more effort to strangle her, but Adrian’s alone was insufficient, so he placed his weight against the book to press down.
Her body writhed like a bug crushed to death, her fists hammering on the book in desperation, but even those hits were weak and missing.
“Doesn’t this reduce your pain, don’t you see?”
I’m trying to show you mercy.
The expressionless murderer whispered.
It may be difficult for the victim to believe, but he had no ill will in doing this.
He didn’t even know her name.
The Pfalzgraf home had over a hundred servants, and he had neither the desire nor the ability to recall all of their names and faces.
His recollection of the servant being crushed to death was unclear.
He may have passed her in the hallway several times, received a welcome, or saw her lower her head without daring to meet his eyes.
Only a few uninteresting memories passed by before burning away without leaving any ash.
He didn’t care what her name was or how she got there, so there was no room for feelings or animosity to grow.
Without this unexpected contact, he would not have had any incentive to contribute to her death.
It was an unusually serendipitous meeting.
The hand that had been striking the book flailed through the air before dropping to the floor with a thud.
The servant, who had felt pity for the lord born frail and sickly, died alone without closing her eyes even once.
The first human death he witnessed wasn’t too bad, especially compared to that of demons.
Whether demons die of natural causes or are killed by other demons, it often leads to catastrophic events.
Such a peaceful and tranquil death seemed like a blessing that demons could not receive.
The servant’s death was not in vain.
It imbued him with a strength that was a blessing, for someone who struggled to rise from his bed even once a week.
He no longer had to writhe in pain, coughing up blood every night, nor did he have to live just staring at the ceiling, unaware of how time passed.
From one day to two, and then to three, his ability to walk around steadily rose, and his need on narcotic painkillers and medicine diminished, giving him more leisure time.
Even though he had only killed one human, Adrian’s life had changed dramatically.
Even after a long period had gone, he remained grateful to his initial victim.
For attracting his attention rather than others’, and for bringing life into his fragile body for the first time.
“…”
He absently brushed a stem and looked at the scratch he’d received.
His physique was still feeble, even if it had improved slightly.
Human skin was frail and sensitive, unlike demon skin, which was as robust as armor.
It would sink in when pressed, and rough, sharp edges could not be tolerated.
He had failed every experiment he had undertaken on his own body, despite believing it could withstand so much.
Given that he can use even a single book to push and kill, it appeared that his body was not weak.
Why are humans so fragile?
He couldn’t understand why they hadn’t become extinct yet.
Knowing about human fragility in theory differed from experiencing it firsthand.
Humans can easily die as a result of unexpected incidents, even when there is no intent to kill.
However, this turned out to be rather beneficial for Adrian later on.
Because the body might quickly perish in normal life, it was simple to conceal equipment that could hurt the body.
Fountain pens, whips, knives… Killing implements were cleverly disguised as part of ordinary life.
There was no suspicion because he proceeded deliberately and without haste.
He was always willing to use force to take someone’s life if the opportunity presented itself.
However, a character not listed in Lilith’s curse began to interfere with him.
Countess Priscilla.
She was raised as the sole daughter of a prestigious family and later became the lady of the count’s estate, therefore she was polite and kind.
She had always been fair and generous to everyone, including her subordinates.
Her faith was strong; she visited the temple every week and was not afraid to donate a large sum to help the poor.
Unfortunately, unbeknownst to her, a demon had connected to the child in her uterus.
She had no idea that the child she gave birth to in agony was Satan, and she adored her baby with all her heart, putting all the love in the world into him.
Concerned about her son’s weak body, she fervently begged that a priest visit the Pfalzgraf household.
Everything went awry when she received holy water from the priest.
“While you were away, mother’s madness returned.”
Adrian interrupted the silence.
“Oh no. Are the symptoms similar?”
Hubert inquired quietly, expressing worry.
Adrian sighed deeply, with the expression of a son concerned about his sick mother.
“Yes. She still appears to be lost in the hallucinations she had experienced previously. She labels me a nasty devil and demands that her genuine son be returned.”
“That is unfortunate… Young Master, I don’t know what to say.”
Adrian had always been fragile from birth.
How many times had he been rescued from the edge of death as a child?
Hubert was especially unhappy at the situation because the countess had devoted her entire life to his well-being.
“Faith can straighten a shaky individual, but it can also destroy a perfectly good one. Given her strong faith, I was concerned that it could become excessive… Holy water, purporting to burn human skin, referring to someone as a demon… It is absolutely regrettable. It’s tragic that someone who loved their child so much was misled by superstition.”
“Not long ago, she came into my room, made a scene, and then went. I still can’t forget it. Her eyes were wide open, shouting that I was a devil, a Satan’s spawn, and that she wanted the genuine Adrian…”
“I don’t know what to say, Young Master. Did the servants hear the lady’s scream?”
“Yes, it appears that a few were in the corridor. When they heard a bang, they came in and took mother away, but the way they stared at me made me feel…”
“…”
“…As if they were looking at an actual monster. Terrible contempt. Fearsome vigilance. I’m not sure how else to describe those eyes.”
“You don’t have to say any more, Young Master.”
“Words hold power. Even something that appears minor and casually uttered, when repeated, can become brainwashing. Initially, what was thought to be a lie is believed to be true. Nobody believed my mother when she said I was a demon. But what will happen in the future? I’m curious. What do you think, Doctor Hubert?”
“…”