Just… a Parasite

“Wa… water… give me some water…” Allen weakly called out.

Lilith, sitting beside her, was alerted by Allen’s faint voice and quickly handed her a cup of red tea.

“Gulp~ gulp~”

Allen drank it all in one go, without care for manners.

Though slightly bitter, she was very thirsty, so she didn’t taste the bitterness at all.

To her, it even felt a little sweet.

After drinking, Allen finally regained consciousness.

She looked at Lilith.

The figure before her gradually overlapped with the Demon King she had seen a few days ago.

Her gaze swept over Lilith’s exquisite and beautiful face, the delicate, petite nose paired with a cherry-like mouth.

Looking upward, her eyes met Lilith’s black obsidian-like pupils.

Their gazes locked, and a red blush unknowingly rose on Allen’s pale face, giving a hint of color to her snowy complexion.

“Why are you here?! Didn’t I die?” Allen asked in surprise.

She never imagined she would encounter the Demon King again.

Her body trembled violently from the shock, causing all her injuries to throb painfully.

“Ugh… it hurts… hiss—” Allen gasped.

Pain came in waves.

Lilith understood Allen’s condition and gently chanted a magical incantation.

A soft, dazzling green light emanated from her hands.

Wherever the light touched, the pain disappeared as if healed.

Allen breathed a sigh of relief.

The green light felt like a spring breeze brushing over her, bringing warmth that flowed through her body.

“Don’t rush. Let me explain slowly.”

Lilith said gently, but her hands disobediently played with Allen’s silver hair.

After cleaning, Allen’s hair regained its original luster.

Lilith seemed to really like Allen’s hair.

“You must be very confused, right? Why are you alive even though you died? The reason is peculiar. After you died, you left behind a soul crystal. Only those with a pure soul can leave a soul crystal after death.

The soul crystal is said to be a carrier of memories.

Only those with a pure soul and a strong will to survive in this world can generate a soul crystal.

Because of these two conditions, soul crystals are extremely rare, only appearing once in a hundred years.”

Lilith explained.

“But… wh—”

“Stop. I know you want to ask why you became a girl.”

Lilith interrupted Allen before she could finish.

“That’s because I transplanted your soul crystal into another body.

As I mentioned earlier, a soul crystal is a memory carrier.

It can be implanted into someone lacking a soul, for example… your current body.”

Pausing, Lilith plucked a small tuft of Allen’s silver hair, holding it between her fingers.

“For me… you—or rather, Mr. Allen—are nothing but a pitiful parasite!

I really dislike you!

If I wanted to erase your memories, it would be very easy.

Then you would become a puppet at my mercy!”

Lilith teased, pausing as Allen trembled, too shocked to speak.

Lilith pinched Allen’s small face lightly.

Allen’s goosebumps rose all over her body, as if the hand belonged to a terrifying skeleton.

“But~ would that be too boring?

If Mr. Allen doesn’t mind, and obediently becomes my s*ave, I won’t erase your memories~”

Pausing again, she extended the hand holding Allen’s hair, snapped her fingers—pop!—the strand of hair instantly disintegrated.

“But if you refuse, I won’t hesitate to erase your memories just like this hair~”

Allen broke out in a cold sweat.

Clearly, Allen had no choice.

Just imagining another self without mind, becoming a puppet, was horrifying.

Allen realized that as long as her mind remained intact, escape was still possible.

So, her priority was to first stabilize the Demon King, then find an opportunity to flee.

She did not want to become the Demon King’s s*ave.

Though she admitted to falling for the Demon King at first sight, Allen did not desire such a twisted love.

She thought to herself that it was best to distance from the Demon King for now.

Unaware, Lilith was secretly smiling.

“I… gulp… I’m willing to be your… servant…”

Allen nervously swallowed, and the last word “servant” even came out wrong as “do my best.”

“Then wear this.”

Lilith pulled out an object from her hand.

Allen didn’t know where it had come from—a black leather collar with a short iron chain attached tightly to the ring.

Though it might look uncomfortable, the intricate patterns on the collar showed it was no ordinary item.

Allen froze, staring at Lilith and then the collar, unwilling to wear it.

Lilith, growing impatient, snapped her fingers.

Allen shivered and reluctantly put the collar on through tears.

She collapsed onto the bed.

Lilith smiled, hidden from others, as if her plan had succeeded.

“You cried?!”

Lilith asked with slight surprise.

“I didn’t!! My eyes just hurt, that’s all!”

Allen stubbornly replied.

Lilith extended her hand, gently stroking Allen’s head like a small animal.

“Call me Master.”

Lilith said with a smile.

“That’s enough! Don’t get any ideas!!”

Allen shouted angrily, swatting Lilith’s hand away.

Lilith froze.

No one had ever dared defy her.

Those who did were already dead.

She was very angry.

“Hehe~”

Lilith smiled strangely.

She placed her hand back on Allen’s head and whispered something, releasing a surge of electricity.

Properly controlled, it only caused temporary numbness.

Allen’s body twitched.

Though her hair didn’t stand on end or char, she felt the sensation of electric shock.

Remarkably, despite the discomfort, she remained conscious.

Lilith clapped her hands and called Luna, who had been dozing by the door, inside.

“Lock her in her room.”

Lilith said calmly.

“Understood~ Master~”

Luna, excited after being bored, grabbed Allen.

Recalling how Lilith had scolded her last time for injuring Allen, Luna mimicked her master and lightly lifted Allen in a princess carry.

Before leaving, Lilith added: “I’m giving you time to think about how to address me, Master. If you haven’t decided, no meals for you.”

With that, she slammed her bedroom door, changed into her pajamas, and planned to sleep.

She had spent a whole day and night watching over Allen.

As if by design, the paralysis dissipated the moment Allen hit the floor.

Allen was extremely hungry.

Since waking the next day, she hadn’t eaten anything, though she drank the red tea.

Her hunger felt amplified, especially alone in the room.

It had been roughly three days without food.

She was weak and the only choice was to wait for Lilith, praying for forgiveness.

Allen reflected on her recklessness, realizing her suffering was self-inflicted.

To conserve energy, she had to sleep.

Though there was a bed, she lacked the strength to climb onto it, so she lay on the floor.

Enduring hunger, she gradually drifted into sleep.

She dreamed of her parents, her friends, and fallen comrades…

Finally, she dreamt of Lilith.

Lilith pulled a silver-haired girl with an iron chain, like a puppet.

Before she could say anything, she awoke.

Just in time, Lilith opened the door.

Though her mind was fuzzy, Allen knew she couldn’t miss this chance.

She lay on the floor, tears flowing, weakly saying:

“Master… forgive me… I know I was wrong… please spare me… I will next time…”

Before finishing, she fainted again…

Lilith felt both pain and regret… and quickly began treating the girl in her hands.

——————

Side Notes

1. Allen’s consciousness remained from that year, so she felt events had just happened, while Lilith had actually spent two years teaching Luna to speak.
2. Allen vaguely knew the Demon King’s name, having heard Lilith and Luna mentioned in the previous chapter.