CHAPTER 40: EPILOGUE: THE THREE RULES TO AVOID GETTING KICKED OUT

«Eliss, we seriously need to talk about what you’ve done,» Aoshi says, his voice firm and severe.

«A-Are you mad at me...?» Eliss murmurs, devastated, kneeling beside the futon where Aoshi lies — in even worse pain than before because of the sudden, desperate jump he made to stop her from killing Miori.

«Mad?» he repeats, barely holding back a furious scream. «Of course I’m mad, Eliss! I’M FUCKING LIVID! You killed Renji, and if I hadn’t stopped you, you would’ve killed Miori too! What the hell is going through your head?! DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT’S NORMAL?!»

«I-I’m sorry, Aoshi...» Eliss sobs, tears streaming down her face, terrified by his unexpected outburst — she hasn’t seen him this unhinged once in over a month of living together. «I... I did it to protect you... sniff... sniff... th-they hurt you so badly, I... I couldn’t just do nothing...»

«They did wrong, yeah, but you don’t kill someone over something like that! Where you come from, is life really worth so little?! Does your whole race kill this casually?! It’s insane...»

Eliss says nothing — her tear-filled eyes fixed on the floor. Aoshi’s words hit her harder than any of Miori’s blows.

«And for what? To avenge me for a stupid fight that ended with a few days in bed and painkillers? What the hell is in your head?! I thought you were smarter, Eliss. I’m honestly disappointed and disgusted by what you did...»

Again, Eliss says nothing. She reaches out a trembling hand toward his — trying to lace her fingers with his — but Aoshi instantly pulls his hand away.

«This whole situation is taking a turn I really don’t like...» he mutters. «I agreed to let you live here, and to play along with the effects of that damn charm spell by pretending to be your boyfriend only because I thought living with someone who seemed perfect like you would be nice... but clearly nobody’s perfect. And I can’t let my life be twisted like this because of some stupid situation I got dragged into without even wanting it...»

«A-Aoshi... w-what does that mean...?» Eliss gasps — her breath and her words breaking apart under a sob that grows more desperate by the second. «Y-You’re not saying... you’re not saying you want to throw me out of your home... are you...?»

Aoshi turns his eyes away from her — as angry as he is, he can’t stand seeing her so shattered.

«Believe me, I’m this close to actually doing it...» he mutters, letting out a long, exhausted sigh.

«N-No... Aoshi, please...»

Eliss collapses at his feet, pressing her forehead to the floor as she clings to his arm. Her uncontrollable, heart-ripping sobs spread into a small pool of tears on the wooden boards.

«I-I’ll do anything you tell me to do — I swear it on my honor as the princess of Ravessia! But please, don’t abandon me, Aoshi... w-without you, I... I...»

I’d be an asshole to kick her out — especially after everything she’s done, and is still doing, for me. She’s worked her ass off since the very first day: helping with chores, helping financially — hell, with what she earns, the only reason I’m not surviving on instant udon every night is because of her.

But... does that really balance having a murderer — no, a demon murderer — living in my home?

I know she did it for my sake, sure, but that doesn’t erase the fact that someone is dead because of her. Almost two people... and that’s only the part I know about. For all I know, she might have killed others before meeting me... or even during our time together without me noticing. She’s dangerous — way too dangerous. And if I kicked her out tonight, I have no idea what she’d be capable of.

With how violently she reacts when she’s deprived of me, she might wander around aimlessly and kill anyone who annoys her even slightly — and that possibility alone freezes my blood.

No... I can’t afford to let that kind of walking bomb roam free without supervision. But I also can’t let things go on like this — terrified that even greeting another girl might set off Eliss’s jealousy like a fucking explosion.

«How did you know Miori was here?» Aoshi asks, his voice seemingly calm again.

«Well, um... after Renji told me she had you beaten up just so she’d have an excuse to get close to you and seduce you, I followed her. My plan was to wait for her outside your place, but when I saw how things were developing between you two, I couldn’t hold back and I barged in...» Eliss mutters, almost whispering.

So it wasn’t a sudden fit of rage... she stalked Miori with the intent to ambush her. This wasn’t a jealous outburst — it was actual premeditated attempted murder.And as terrifying as that is, part of me is weirdly relieved that she at least waited this long instead of going after Miori the same night Renji confessed. It means she’s not completely impulsive — that, if she wanted to, she could really hold herself back and stop trying to solve everything with violence.

God, I’m really good at convincing myself of excuses not to kick her out, when all I’d have to do is admit the truth: that I’d miss her terribly if she were gone. Aaah, what a mess...If I can’t bring myself to kick her out even after she killed someone, how the hell am I supposed to say goodbye when the three months are over?

«F-Fine... you can stay,» Aoshi mutters with resignation, turning his gaze back to Eliss. «But from now on, I’m making some major changes to our relationship — if we can even call it that.»

«O-Of course, my dear Aoshi! I-I promised I’d do anything you asked, and I meant it!» Eliss stammers — her voice so thick with joy she can barely form the words. But that uncontrollable excitement vanishes in an instant the moment Aoshi states the first condition for their continued cohabitation.

«Rule number one: you and I are no longer a couple.»

Aoshi is furious with me for what I’ve done — even though I still don’t understand why — so I don’t want to contradict him and make him even angrier. But... how the hell am I supposed to keep a promise like that? It’s not even something I can control — my body and my mouth often move on their own without my permission. There’s no way I can contain my instinct to love him with everything I am...

Eliss’s eyes grow wet again — she wants to say so many things, too many things rushing through her head, but she forces herself to stay silent, giving only a tiny nod.

«Rule number two: you must never — ever — hurt anyone, no matter what. Not Miori, not anyone else. When you go back to Elyndra, you can have all the fun you want killing demons, but here you’re not in your world and you can’t just do whatever you want. If I even see you lay a finger on someone, not even crying all the tears in the world will convince me not to kick you out. Understood?»

Again, Eliss nods silently.

«Third and final rule — and this ties back to the first: I have to be free to... well... to go on a date with someone if I want to, without living in fear that you’ll do something stupid because of it.»

The killing blow to Eliss’s already crumbling emotional state.

«I-I could understand not wanting us to be a couple anymore — that’s something I might’ve been able to deal with... b-but expecting this house to turn into a revolving door of thirsty sluts flirting with you and doing dirty things with you while I pretend nothing’s happening... I-I could never keep a promise like that, I’m sorry...» Eliss sobs, completely shattered, clinging even tighter to Aoshi’s arm.

«W-Wait, what kind of idea do you even have about me?! Do you really think I’m the type who brings girls home to do dirty things with them?!»

«That’s exactly what I saw you doing earlier...» she mutters, shooting him a murderous glare.

«T-That... that was an accident, okay?! I-I never intended to do anything dirty with Miori! And anyway, I meant outdoor dates — like going for a walk downtown with a girl, grabbing a drink somewhere, that kind of thing! And even if I did do dirty things, I definitely wouldn’t do them in front of you!» Aoshi snaps, his face turning bright red.

«And who is this girl you want to walk around with, grab drinks with, and then do dirty things with?» Eliss fires back, narrowing her eyes — the situation has flipped completely, and now Aoshi is the one being interrogated.

«I-It was just an example — t-there’s no girl right now!» he stammers.

«Oh? So you’re telling me that at the moment I’m the only woman in your life? Well then, wiping out the competition will be easy!»

«There is no competition because no girl on earth would dare get close to me with someone like you next to me...»

«Aoshi... am I wrong, or did you just tell me I’m the most beautiful of all — so beautiful that any woman on earth would feel threatened by my looks and stay away from you?» Eliss smirks, flashing him a teasing smile.

«I-I’ve always told you you’re the most beautiful — your looks aren’t the problem... it’s that tiny, insignificant, absolutely negligible detail called homicidal fury...»

«Oh, come on — still hung up on that?» she huffs. «I promised I would never lay a finger on anyone ever again, for any reason — not even if your life were in danger! If we ever get attacked again by some thug, I’ll just watch while they beat you senseless, and when you beg me to do something, I’ll remind you that you strictly forbade me from using my strength on humans, and I’ll watch with a smug little smile on my face.»

«You really are wicked, you know that?» Aoshi mutters, shooting her a glare. «Anyway... I-I guess I owe you a thank you. If you hadn’t interfered, Miori would’ve played me just like the first time — you probably saved me a lot of sleepless, tear-filled nights...»

Eliss snuggles even closer to Aoshi, curling up at his side like a kitten. Then she grabs his hand and places it on top of her head.

«Since I was a good girl... don’t you think I deserve some cuddles?»

«Y-Yeah, you earned some cuddles... but only on the head! My body’s already on edge from what Miori was about to do — let’s not push my hormones over the cliff!» Aoshi grumbles.

«Yes, sir!» Eliss chirps, sliding her body even closer — close enough to end up right on his futon, then slipping under the covers with a swift little movement.

«H-Hey... I didn’t give you permission to get that close!» Aoshi protests, gently stroking her wavy golden hair. «Eliss...? Eliss...?»

Did she seriously fall asleep already?! For real?!

Yet Aoshi can’t look away from her — so beautiful, so sweet, almost defenseless-looking as she sleeps deeply, curled under the futon blanket with her face resting on his chest.

And to think I just told her we can’t act like a real couple anymore... aaah, give me strength. Come on, Aoshi — only one month and three weeks left until she goes back home. Hang in there!

🔸️END OF VOLUME 2🔸️