"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."
brought the cigarette
Only that…
"Cough! Cough!"
entire face turned bright red, and she began coughing in
to fly
lied to m—Cough!
started coughing even
"Hahah."
composure, let out a muffled chuckle. He already knew that this was going to
are you
in expression and her
me on
'…Is this really her?'
that he was directly interacting with her, he found her new behavior to be a stark contrast from
she hiding
Are you dead or something?
different than a
his lips, Jin maintained his
inhale it properly. Try again, but this time
be playing
at him fiercely. Then, bringing the cigarette close to her mouth, she
up, and Jin turned his
*Puff*
could very clearly hear her letting out a series of muffled coughs. Nevertheless, it
burns a
while staring at the cigarette. Then,
for an ensuing couple of minutes,
I
She showed the butt.
before casting
"Throw it away."
"Mhm."
it
extended her hand
"What?"
had an idea of what she wanted but found himself rather
It couldn't be, right?
"…"
reply and bobbed her
took out a cigarette and placed it on her hand.
"More?"
Now, this…
took another cigarette and placed it
at her hand before directly staring at Jin. Her gaze and expression were clear. She wanted the whole
first time in a long time, Jin was left speechless. Was this seriously the same
'Ah, whatever.'
pros and cons, he shook his head and placed the pack in her hand, which
"Very generous of you."
'Motherf—'
***
the Red Peak, Duke Velmout. I'd
Priscilla—]
"Interesting."
while staring at
that was filled
edge of the
couldn't wait
on the demon's face. Seemingly already
its way to his ears, so the letter did not come as a surprise to him when
an alliance. After all, by that point, the only
could from Priscilla, granted that he would help her get revenge which was also within his interest since Duke Ukhan was also a major
was essentially two birds with one
"Alright, then."
his finger, the letter vanished into thin air, and
his suit, he
how much I can squeeze from
*
sure it's
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