"Has he always been like that?"
The Duchess inquired as she turned her head and faced the window of the room she was in, admiring the view outside.
Sitting opposite from her was Jin. Similarly looking at the window, he inwardly sighed.
"Yeah…"
They were currently talking about Ren.
He may have changed a little over the years, but thinking back at all the times he had been with him, he couldn't find a way to deny her words.
"Must've been tough."
"Tell me about it."
Thankfully, the Duchess was quite hospitable. Else he really would've been cursing Ren till the end of his life.
He reached out for his pocket and took out a cigarette.
…It was a habit he picked up due to all the stress he'd been facing recently. It wasn't harmful to him anyways, so it didn't really matter.
"What's that?"
"This?"
He lifted the cigarette.
"Yeah."
The Duchess nodded, her eyes carrying a hint of interest.
After noticing how interested the Duchess was, he lifted his index finger to light the cigarette and then took a brief drag from it.
*Puff*
The Duchess's gaze followed the smoke that raised in the air.
"It's called a cigarette, and it's something that helps me manage my stress."
"…There's such a thing?"
"Mhm"
He took another puff before handing the Duchess his pack.
"Want to have a go?"
"Can I?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
She reached out with caution. Sliding the cigarette out with the tips of her slim fingers, she brought it in close to her mouth and placed it in between her lips before taking it out.
For a good minute, she examined it with wonder.
"What do I do now?"
"Light the tip."
He pointed at the white side.
A blue flame flickered over the Duchess's finger.
Alternating her gaze between Jin and the stick, she brought the finger close to the tip.
"Like this?"
"Yuh."
The cigarette lit, and an orange ring formed.
"Bring it to your mouth and inhale."
Jin explained before she could ask further.
"…Okay."
cigarette to her mouth
Only that…
"Cough! Cough!"
turned bright red, and
to fly out from
You lied to m—Cough!
coughing even
"Hahah."
a muffled chuckle.
are
in expression and her
you trick me on
'…Is this really her?'
that he was directly interacting with her, he found her new behavior to be a stark
hiding
dead or something? Cant you fucking hear
no different than
of his lips,
didn't inhale it properly. Try again, but this time try
better not be playing
fiercely. Then, bringing the cigarette close to
Jin turned his head. They were quite
*Puff*
the air, and Jin could very clearly hear her letting out a series of muffled coughs. Nevertheless,
it burns a
massaged her chest while staring at the cigarette. Then, bringing it
an ensuing couple of minutes, up until the point where
do I do
She showed the butt.
looked at it before casting his gaze
"Throw it away."
"Mhm."
it
then extended her hand
"What?"
had an idea of what she wanted but found himself rather
It couldn't be, right?
"…"
and bobbed her hand
on her hand. She glanced at it for a moment before
"More?"
Now, this…
took another cigarette and
hand before directly staring at Jin. Her gaze and expression
time, Jin was left speechless. Was this seriously the
'Ah, whatever.'
and cons, he shook his head and placed the pack in her hand, which she
"Very generous of you."
'Motherf—'
***
Peak, Duke Velmout. I'd like to discuss with
Priscilla—]
"Interesting."
demon muttered while staring at the
glass that was filled with a crimson
edge of the
couldn't
the demon's face. Seemingly already having predicted
on her earlier in the day had already made its way to his ears, so the letter did not come as
her portion, he too would've resorted to an alliance. After all, by that point,
from Priscilla, granted
two birds
"Alright, then."
a flick of his finger, the letter vanished into thin
he mumbled with
much
*
are you sure it's
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