Rosie's Games - Chapter 459: A Stark Contrast

“What petty?” Lucas asked as he arched his eyebrows, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You come to congratulate me empty-handed and expect gratitude. Consider yourself lucky that I am in a good mood; otherwise, you would be dead by now.”

Belisarius poured himself a glass of wine, trying to hide his unease. “You wouldn’t dare…” he muttered under his breath.

Lucas shrugged nonchalantly, remaining silent. Belisarius took a seat across from him, his gaze complicated.

“You must be delighted that her body was able to absorb a demon’s essence,” Belisarius remarked, attempting to strike a nerve. “But let us not forget…”

“I know,” Lucas interjected, cutting him off. “There’s no need to remind me. You sound like a nagging old man.”

Belisarius chuckled, acknowledging the truth in Lucas’s words. Indeed, he was nothing but a nagging old man. For a few seconds, they sat in silence, the weight of their thoughts hanging between them.

Suddenly, Belisarius broke the silence. “That woman beside the Queen of Wugari is quite intriguing.”

“She is not from this continent,” Lucas responded promptly, his voice filled with certainty.

“Perhaps she underestimated the consequences of coming here,” Belisarius said, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes. “It’s been ages since demons were able to possess a human. Could the seven families be involved?”

Lucas pondered for a moment. “It would be strange if this had nothing to do with them. It’s been so long since they have made a move.”

Belisarius pressed further, inquiring about Lucas’s plans. “Are you planning to take action?”

“No,” Lucas replied firmly.

“And are you going to tell me why?” Belisarius probed.

“No,” came Lucas’s swift response.

Belisarius snorted dismissively. “I don’t need you to tell me. I already know why you’re reluctant to act this time.”

Lucas smirked, his gaze fixed on Belisarius. “Then why do you keep asking questions when you already know the answers? Isn’t that a bit foolish?”

Belisarius sighed, acknowledging the futility of his inquiries. “Not taking action won’t prevent her from doing anything. She’s still human, after all.”

Lucas stared at him silently, his expression inscrutable.

“What will you do if she once again tries to defend humans?” Belisarius pressed.

“She won’t,” Lucas replied, his voice filled with unwavering certainty.

Belisarius questioned his confidence. “And what makes you so sure? Just weeks ago, you were uncertain about everything. Now you dare say she won’t act. But the soul inside her body…”

“Because she is strong,” Lucas interrupted, his voice tinged with finality. Belisarius frowned, taken aback by Lucas’s conviction. “Whether you understand or not, this has nothing to do with me. Soon enough, you’ll see what I mean.”

Belisarius shook his head in exasperation. “Talking to you is truly…” He paused, choosing not to finish his sentence, and downed his wine. “I can’t believe you still have this three-hundred-year-old wine. If I had known…”

Lucas’s response was resolute. “Even if you had known, I wouldn’t have shared it with you.”

Belisarius looked at him, baffled. “How can you be so heartless?”

“What’s wrong with being heartless?” Lucas countered, laughing at his friend’s question. Indeed, he was in a good mood and he did not want Belisarius, to ruin that.

Belisarius sighed, realizing the futility of their conversation. Talking to Lucas was like speaking to a block of wood, unyielding and unresponsive. He could only sigh in resignation.

“It’s been so long since I fought demons,” Belisarius spoke, his voice filled with childlike excitement. “Seeing that woman somehow ignited a giddy feeling within me. Should we eliminate her immediately?” His tone was innocent and gentle as if discussing something delectable rather than the killing of a demon.

“Do what you want,” Lucas suggested, his posture relaxed as he reclined in his chair. Belisarius couldn’t help but notice the air of nonchalance surrounding his friend.

When was the last time he had seen Lucas like this? The memory eluded him, buried deep within the recesses of his mind.

Belisarius searched for the right words, his voice filled with concern. “Are you truly going to remain passive regarding that woman, Benjamen? Are you willing to let her roam free without consequence?”

Lucas let out a dismissive snort, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Do you take me for a heartless monster? I am not one to strike preemptively. I will not harm someone who has not posed a threat. Such ruthlessness does not befit me.”

Silence hung heavy in the air as Belisarius absorbed Lucas’s response. It became clear to him that Lucas’s inaction stemmed from a different motivation entirely.

Rosalind, his wife.

Belisarius realized that Lucas held back because he awaited Rosalind’s call to action. If she chose to confront Dorothy, Lucas would readily support her. It was a gesture of trust and deference to their bond.

Belisarius sighed inwardly, acknowledging the depths of his friend’s infatuation. Once again, Lucas had fallen under the spell of a woman, and this time it was someone entirely different. Yet, the soul inhabiting Rosalind’s body undeniably belonged to the woman who had once captivated Lucas’s heart.

At that moment, Belisarius shook his head in disbelief. How could one foolishly succumb to the allure of someone who had caused them pain in the past?

The complexities of the human heart were an enigma to him, forever beyond his comprehension.

Belisarius knew that he could never truly fathom the depth of Lucas’s emotions, nor the extent of his loyalty. And so, he accepted it as yet another enigmatic facet of their friendship.

Belisarius’s voice carried a tinge of sorrow as he replied, his gaze fixed on Lucas with a mix of concern and resignation. “It seems that you have already made up your mind. Once again, your heart has found its steadfast course.”

Lucas leaned back in his chair, a touch of defiance in his eyes. “Do you see me as someone who wavers in matters of the heart? When my heart chooses its path, I do not easily stray from it.”

Belisarius shook his head slowly, his expression a blend of empathy and melancholy. Deep down, he understood the depth of Lucas’s unwavering devotion, a devotion that had long surpassed the boundaries of reason. It had crossed into the realm of obsession—the very obsession that had led to the Goddess’s curse upon him.

He could only wish that the soul inside Rosalind would never awaken.

A sigh escaped his lips before he decided to leave. This time, he did not know when he is coming back.

In a swift motion, Belisarius threw a velvet box toward Lucas, interrupting his thoughts and pulling him back to the present. Curiosity flickered in Lucas’s eyes as he caught the box, his fingers tracing its edges. “What is this?” he inquired, his voice filled with a blend of intrigue and caution.

“A wedding gift,” Belisarius replied, his voice laden with unspoken concerns. “A token of caution, my friend. Remember, she is still human. Do not burden her with the weight of bearing your child.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow, a mix of surprise and confusion crossing his features. He considered his friend’s words carefully, sensing the gravity behind them. Slowly, he opened the box, his eyes fixed on its contents, only to close it again, the weight of its implications settling upon him.

As Belisarius spoke of his impending journey to the other continent, Lucas’s indifference revealed itself, his nonchalant shrug a stark contrast to the potential dangers that awaited them all. “The cracks in the barrier, the gateway through which demons had infiltrated this continent, signaled a sinister plot orchestrated by the seven families,” Belisarius spoke. Belisarius’s urgency to protect the fragile balance was already expected, yet Lucas found himself detached, wrapped in the comfort of his wife’s presence.

With a sigh of resignation, Belisarius vanished into thin air, leaving Lucas to confront the storm brewing within himself. Just as silence settled, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room, signaling Rosalind’s emergence from the bathroom. She stood before him, draped in a robe that barely concealed her nakedness, an ethereal vision that ignited a mix of desire and conflict within Lucas.

“Are you talking to someone?” she inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.

“No,” Lucas replied, his gaze fixed on her, a flicker of mischief dancing in his eyes. He rose from his seat, placed his empty wine glass on the table, and closed the distance between them. “Finished?”

Rosalind nodded, her eyes gleaming with a hint of playfulness. “Hmmm… How is the palace?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

A mischievous smile played upon Lucas’s lips, and he couldn’t help but tease her. “You’ve just finished your bath, yet you are already more interested in the affairs of the palace. Do you find them more captivating than me?”

Rosalind snorted in response, a playful glint in her eyes. She attempted to pass by him, but Lucas, quick on his feet, sidestepped and blocked her path. A furrow formed on her brow as she frowned, her intrigue piqued.

“What?” she questioned, her voice laced with curiosity and a touch of frustration.

Lucas met her gaze, his mischievous smile deepening. “What?” he echoed, his voice low and seductive.