You, My Devil - Chapter 9

The next day, Yuri left the imperial palace at dawn. The procession trailing behind him, consisting of soldiers and attendants, barely exceeded twenty people. For a prince of Nike relocating his residence, the small and humble retinue was almost laughable.

“Brother, may the gods always be with you,” said Camille, the sole member of the royal family who had come to see him off. The priest kissed Yuri’s forehead, his normally empty eyes glistening faintly as he gazed at his younger brother, who had become a victim of political scheming.

“I’ll depart before the rains begin,” Yuri replied.

“May the blessings of Nike always guide your path,” Camille intoned, offering his final prayer.

Without another word, Yuri mounted his horse with a sharp, purposeful motion and struck its flank with his whip.
“Let’s go!”

At the harsh crack of the whip, the black stallion carrying him surged forward. Yuri’s crimson hair streamed out behind him, tousled by the desert wind. He spurred the horse to go even faster, silently repeating the words he couldn’t bring himself to say to Camille.

“Take care of yourself, Camille. Until I return. Please.”

The imperial palace of Granada grew fainter in the distance behind him, swallowed by the rising sand. As the sun climbed over the horizon, it bathed the world in a deep, fiery red.

* * *

From the moment she woke up, Heina sensed something unusual in the way the maids were behaving. Breakfast, which was always served punctually, arrived a little late, and before she could even finish eating, the maids insisted she bathe and be meticulously groomed.

When she asked, “What is this about? Are you planning to put me on a platform and kill me again?” one of the maids, Elise, simply looked at her with an expression that defied explanation.

‘Why does she look so distressed?’ Heina wondered.

This wasn’t the only strange thing. In the ten days since the coming-of-age ceremony, Yuri hadn’t visited her room once. At first, she felt relief at not having to face his devilish visage, but as time passed, her unease grew. What if he was scheming something worse?

“Put this on,” Elise said that evening, handing Heina a dress she had worn in Constance, right after Heina’s bath. This marked the peak of the day’s oddities. Unable to contain herself, Heina finally asked,
“…What’s going on?”

“You’ve always complained about the attire of Nike, haven’t you?” Elise replied calmly, avoiding Heina’s gaze.

“I’m asking why today of all days,” Heina pressed.

“I only follow orders.”

It seemed futile to get any useful answers out of the tight-lipped maid. Even when they had prepared the rain ritual disguised as a coming-of-age ceremony, Elise hadn’t so much as hinted at it. Heina sighed deeply. She couldn’t remain unclothed forever.

Taking the dress from Elise, she put it on, her emotions churning. The peach-colored gown, with its soft, silky fabric, contrasted starkly against her pale skin. The neckline was trimmed with frills that subtly accentuated her chest.

Tying the waist of the dress tighter took less effort than before, a stark reminder of how much weight she had lost in the past year. The familiar weight of Constance’s dresses returned, heavier compared to the lighter garments of Nike.

As Heina dabbed the sweat from her forehead and looked into the mirror Elise held up, she saw not herself but a ghost of the princess of Constance, someone she had long forgotten. She stared blankly at her reflection for a long moment before trembling fingers picked up a comb, pulling it through her long hair over and over again.

“It’s time to go,” Elise said gently.

“…Go where?”

As always, Elise didn’t answer her. Silently, she led Heina out of the room.

“It’s dinner time. Where are we going?” Heina asked again.

“You’ll be served far better food from now on,” Elise replied before falling silent once more.

Heina could do nothing but follow, her arms crossed as they walked.

Through dim corridors and up countless flights of stairs they went. As the journey dragged on, Heina’s unease deepened. The higher they climbed, the more guards she noticed. These soldiers of Nike had shaven heads and wore only minimal clothing to cover their lower halves.

She kept her gaze fixed ahead, ignoring the curious stares drilling into her. The guards ogled her openly—her fair skin, so unlike that of the women of Nike, seemed to exude a sweet fragrance.

When they were about to turn a corner, a group of armed men stepped in their path.
“State your affiliation,” one of them demanded.

“Elise, maid of Prince Yuri’s villa. Haven’t you received word?” Elise responded.

At the mention of Yuri’s name, the guards visibly wavered. The one blocking their way stepped aside reluctantly but not before blatantly eyeing Heina. It was likely the first time any of them had seen the infamous slave from Constance up close—an object of rumor and mystery.

“Let’s go,” Heina said, tugging at Elise’s sleeve. The men’s stares made her feel as if she’d been stripped bare. Standing there in her ornate gown, she felt more like a decorative doll for their amusement than a human being.

Sensing Heina’s growing discomfort, Elise quickened her pace. Before long, they arrived at a grand door adorned with the imperial crest of Nike.

“You must go in alone from here,” Elise said, bowing her head and stepping back.

Heina grabbed the maid’s wrist tightly.
“…”

Her gaze wavered with raw anxiety. Her body screamed warnings, a visceral instinct honed by a year of humiliation and survival in this place. Something was undeniably wrong.

“Elise.”

When Heina called Elise’s name, the maid stopped in her tracks. Heina’s voice trembled as she asked,
“Is this Yuri’s room?”

The maid silently shook her head, and Heina’s pulse quickened. Elise’s expression was strange—somewhere between sorrow and relief.

“Then… whose room is this?”

“Whatever treatment you receive, it will be better than the past year spent locked away,” Elise replied, her tone firm, as though convincing herself.

She truly believed what she said. Nadine, the first prince, was uninterested in politics, which made him relatively safe. Women who found favor with him lived comfortably, free from worry about food or protection, and the palace was filled with those eager to win his favor.

While Prince Yuri had been in the palace, no one could touch Heina. She had been his possession, untouchable by anyone else. But now that Yuri was gone, the reality was grim: a mere slave like her had no guarantees about her future.

Perhaps, Elise thought, Yuri sending Heina to Nadine was a mercy in disguise.

“What are you talking about—?” Heina’s words were cut off as the maid opened the door, shoving her inside.

Bang!

The heavy door closed behind her with a resounding thud. Heina’s blue eyes quivered with fear, reflecting her growing unease.

The room was enormous and opulent, draped in colorful fabrics that surrounded an expansive bed. Plush carpets so soft they could be mistaken for clouds covered the floor. A sweet, heady scent of Nikean incense hung in the air, stronger than usual, making her head spin.

“As expected, you’re most beautiful when wearing the attire of your homeland, Princess of Constance.”

The voice came from the bed, where a man reclined partially, lazily popping green grapes into his mouth.

“…Who are you?” Heina’s voice was sharp, though tinged with alarm.

“Ah, but this unfamiliarity is part of what makes it all the more exciting,” the man said, smirking.

Trembling with shame, Heina spun around and pressed against the door, trying to push it open. It budged slightly, but then slammed shut again, forcefully, by someone outside. She bit her lip hard, trying to suppress her rising panic.

Who is this man? she thought frantically, trying to piece together the situation. Having been confined to Yuri’s villa since the end of the war and her arrival at the Granada palace, Heina had never encountered any of the other princes.

The man chuckled as he watched her pale face contort with fear.
“Leaving so soon? I was thinking we’d spend at least three days together here. Maybe more. Haha… Honestly, I’ve never been jealous of Yuri until now. To think he’s been hoarding such a prize all this time!”

“Do you even know who I am, to spew such filth?” Heina managed to snap, her voice steady despite the panic boiling within her.

The man rose from the bed and approached her. He was a Nikean with dark curly hair and bronze skin. Judging by the grandeur of the room, he was clearly someone of high status in the imperial court.

“Of course I know who you are, Princess Heina,” he said with a smirk. “I also know that starting tonight, you’ll be my slave, here to entertain me.”

“What… What did you just say?”

Her wide, crystalline eyes filled with shock as if refusing to believe what she had just heard. Nadine grinned, his white teeth flashing like a predator’s.

Nadine took another step toward Heina, laughing loudly.

“So, Yuri left without even telling you? As a devoted younger brother, he gifted me the most beautiful prize from his collection. Judging by your expression, you didn’t know, did you? Hahaha.”

“Don’t come any closer!” Heina’s voice wavered as she backed away, only to hit the solid door behind her. There was nowhere else to go. Her mind began to spin.

‘He left? That devil left… and handed me over to this man?’

Fear, anger, and humiliation surged within her, causing her jaw to tremble. Her face turned ashen, like a lifeless corpse, as Nadine pulled off his white robe, revealing his toned, naked body.

“D-Don’t you dare touch me—Ahh!”

Before she could resist, Nadine roughly grabbed her wrist, and in one swift motion, lifted her off the ground. She was thrown onto the plush bed, its firm surface shifting slightly under her weight. Pinning both her wrists above her head with one hand, Nadine leaned over her.

“Ah…!”

Her wrists ached as the blood flow was cut off. His eyes, dark and filled with hunger, scanned her trembling form as he whispered, his voice dripping with lust.
“The look of fear on your face is… exquisite.”

Heina realized in an instant what he intended to do. Unlike Yuri, who had humiliated her with harsh words and threats, Nadine was about to violate her outright. She instinctively understood there was no escape; he would take her by force if necessary.

The man before her, with his thick brows, jet-black hair, and sun-kissed skin, exuded nothing but raw, predatory desire. She struggled desperately beneath him.

“Get your filthy hands off me!” she shouted, her voice shaking with rage.

Nadine’s excitement only grew as he watched her thrash. He finally understood why Yuri had kept her hidden away. Even during Yuri’s coming-of-age ceremony, when he had briefly glimpsed her writhing on the altar, he had known she was stunning. But up close, Heina’s beauty was enough to drive a man to madness.

Her milk-white skin, emerald-green eyes that shone like gemstones, and cascading golden hair that resembled threads of sunlight—all of it ignited an uncontrollable desire within him.

Without hesitation, he reached for the delicate dress that hugged her frame and tore it apart with his hands.

“I’ll erase all traces of Yuri from your body. After tonight, you’ll think only of me, Heina.”

“No! Stop! Please—no! AAAAAH! Argen!” Heina screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears streamed down her face as terror overwhelmed her. She couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked her body. She knew what awaited her: she would be violated and stripped of her dignity, a princess brought low by a man of her enemy’s nation.

“Someone, please… Save me. Get me out of this hell,” she sobbed, her voice cracking.

“Stop it… No…!” she whimpered, her body writhing as she cursed Yuri over and over in her mind for putting her in this situation.

Bang!

The door slammed open, and the sound of soldiers’ frantic voices filled the air.

“Your Highness, Prince Nadine ordered no interruptions until morning, but—Ugh!”

One soldier let out a strangled cry before collapsing. Nadine scowled, turning his head toward the commotion, clearly irritated.

Heina gasped for air, her lips trembling as she bit down hard. Lying precariously on the edge of the bed, her tear-filled eyes caught sight of a flash of crimson hair reflected upside-down in the room’s polished surfaces.

“…How disgraceful. I had a feeling this would happen.”

Yuri clicked his tongue in irritation, dragging his sword across the floor as he approached the bed.