Erna’s heart was heavy with guilt and anger as she watched Kalion’s strange behavior. She had told Orpé and the wizards to be ready in case Kalion tried to escape, and now she waited for him to arrive.
As she watched him suspiciously searching for himself, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over her. She felt guilty for not noticing that something was wrong with Kalion sooner, and angry at the demon that had taken control of him. He was the strongest knight in Hessenguard, how could he not be able to resist its mental manipulation?
Tears flowed down Erna’s face as she struggled with her feelings. She saw the surprised Kalion trying to console her, but it only made her heart feel more bitter. Even though he was being controlled by a demon, he was still trying to comfort her in her moment of distress. It was truly pitiful and sad.
“Kalion, I know that you changed suddenly because of the demon! Just hold on a bit! It’s painful, but you won’t die!” Erna shouted.
“No, it’s not like that, it’s not a demon! You keep talking about Marius’s teachings all the time, reading books… Aahh!” Kalion tried to explain, but before he could finish his sentence, the spell hit his arm again. He gasped in pain and made a run for the door, leaving the corridor. He didn’t understand why Erna was talking about demons and acting this way, but one thing he knew for sure was that the spell would kill him if it hit him again.
“I have to escape first,” Kalion thought as he watched Erna’s anger escalate. He believed that he needed to run away and come back after she had calmed down.
But as he attempted to make his escape, he was met with resistance. “Wait! Grand Duke Kalion is coming out there!” cried a voice from the corridor. “Everyone ready? Throw it!”
Erna had set a trap for him, and there were several wizards waiting for him, armed with spells similar to the one she had used on him earlier. “Stand there! Kalion!” she shouted as she rushed out of the room.
Kalion pushed past the wizards and ran down the stairs, but more knights were waiting for him on the first floor. “Wait! Grand Duke Kalion is coming down!” cried one of them. “Has Erna and the wizards failed? Then we have to help!”
Kalion was furious, was it true that Erna, the wizards, and the knights were all working together to catch him? He pushed past them and ran up the stairs, his large body easily jumping over the heads of the knights. But as soon as he landed, magic flew towards him.
“Catch Grand Duke Kalion!” came the excited cries of the knights. Kalion ran for his life, desperate to prove his innocence. “I’m not a demon, I’m not a demon!” he screamed, but his voice went unheard as he fled the castle.
***
“I’m sorry, I was wrong,” Kalion said as he lowered his head in front of Erna, his body covered in wounds inflicted by magic. Erna looked at him with disdain, her arms crossed firmly over her chest..
“So, you spoke and acted just like Marius?” Erna asked.
“That’s… because I thought you really liked him…” Kalion replied.
Erna let out a sigh, her emotions were mixed. It wasn’t completely unpleasant, but there was still a limit. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing deep blue bruises that adorned her arms.
“So, you held me until I became like this?” Erna asked, her voice laced with anger. “And do you know who’s the reason why I wear clothes that cover my neck even in the summer? Plus, my chest is really… ” Erna gently pressed down on her chest, where the bruises were. It was clear that it would take a long time for the soreness to heal.
“Besides,” she continued, rubbing her lower stomach, “It’s worse down there. The intense pleasure was accompanied by pain. My legs are sore and cold, I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Anyway, you’re not allowed to sleep with me until I say I’m okay,” Erna said firmly, as Kalion’s shoulders dropped further.
“I’m sorry…” Kalion said, his voice barely audible. Erna could tell that he was not regretful of not being able to sleep with her, but of hurting her.
That’s better, Erna thought. Rough Kalion wasn’t bad, but the Kalion who treasured her was so much better. Erna took a step closer to Kalion, noticing that his eyes were a little red.
“I really… I thought you liked it…” Kalion said, his voice choked with emotion.
Erna was thinking of probing more but decided against it. She had been the one injured, yet it was Kalion who seemed to be in more pain. With a gentle touch, she reached out and pulled Kalion’s head towards hers, enveloping him in a warm embrace. She knew it was probably best to keep the fact that she had enjoyed the roughness a secret.
“Now let’s forget about that problem and go take care of our business,” Erna whispered, her voice soothing and calm.
“Business?” Kalion repeated, confusion etched on his face.
“The spiritual realm demons. We know where they are,” Erna explained, her gaze growing serious.
At that moment, Kalion raised his head, determination written on his face. “Where is that demon?”
Erna looked at Kalion with a twinkling gaze and thought to herself, That demon, even if I don’t go, Kalion will take care of it just fine.
***
That night, as the actors made their way out of the theater in the bustling capital city of Hessenguard, one of them, hat pulled low in an effort to avoid prying eyes, made his way towards a secluded back alley. But as he walked, he was abruptly confronted by two mysterious figures.
“Who are you?” The actor’s voice quivered, unsure of the intentions of the two strangers blocking his path.
The taller of the two, a man, spoke up in response. “Erna, is this actor possessed by a demon?”
The other, a woman, added, “I heard that his acting has become terrible since the day the wizards successfully summoned a demon. I didn’t know about it because I haven’t been able to come see him since then.”
Erna and Kalion were the two figures, who were on a mission to defeat the demons that had taken over the actor’s body.
It’s going to hurt a bit. I’m going to hit you harder than I got hit. Kalion’s voice was steady as he prepared to cast the spell to chase away the demons. He knew the spell would be incredibly painful, and he was still recovering from the wounds inflicted by magic. Erna had told him that physical strength enhances the effect of magic, and so he stepped back, clenched his fist, and prepared to strike.
This is really to chase away the demons and absolutely not a revenge as a husband against someone who temporarily took away my wife’s heart, Kalion thought to himself.
Crackle! The sound of an immense number of blows filled the air, and the screams of demons echoed through the back alley as Kalion successfully chased the demons away from the actor’s body.
The main performance was thus concluded, and the capital city was free of demons once more. The next night, Kalion could be seen grumbling as he threw the book ‘Dangerous Barbarian’ into the fireplace, “Don’t ever do something like this again.”