The excruciating pain in her hand sent bone-chilling agony through Luna. Allen bit her arm like a monster. A slight chill told her—he was sucking her blood!

"Granite Great Shield!" Luna muttered silently.

This emergency elemental spell strained the mind heavily but activated instantly. As defense magic, it drained massive mental energy.

Compared to a water ball spell, Granite Great Shield consumed far too much power. Low-level mages would suffer terribly. But for Luna, it felt effortless. She cast it without a hint of strain, like instinct.

*Boom!* A loud crash blasted Allen away with the summoned shield. He slammed hard onto the ground.

"Allen? Sorry... Allen?" Luna realized she’d unleashed full power uncontrollably. Fine cracks spiderwebbed the wall behind him. He lay unconscious like a corpse. His earlier ferocity vanished like a popped bubble. Yet the bite marks on her arm and wall cracks proved his frenzy. He’d lunged naked while she cleaned his wounds—a bizarre sight. Beads of cold sweat dotted Luna’s forehead. She wiped them and checked on him.

The impact had likely broken more bones. His frame looked visibly deformed. Old wounds bled anew. He was deeply unconscious. Surprisingly, his breathing had steadied slightly, though still weak.

"This isn’t a place for treatment," Luna thought. She draped her clothes over him, hoisted Allen onto her back, and rushed toward the castle lab. Unseen, the jostling worsened his fractures. Even unconscious, Allen frowned from the pain.

...

Luna redressed his wounds in the lab. She mixed spare herbs with water balls to clean his bloodstains. She didn’t know if it helped, but Allen winced with every touch. His face twisted in pain; soft groans escaped him. Luna moved gently, yet it did little good. She gritted her teeth and continued.

The infected wound was hideous—rotten, oozing yellow pus. She forced herbs onto it, then tightly bound bandages for efficiency.

*Sigh...* Luna sighed, lost. She stroked Allen’s fractures, then chanted softly. An earth-colored glow flared. His bones realigned miraculously, as if finding their rightful places. This magic set broken bones fast. Combined with clerical healing, it could mend them quickly.

Allen’s torso was now mummy-wrapped. Bandages circled his head. Eyes closed, his breathing was weak but steady. His condition seemed stable.

All this took Luna most of the day.

"I can’t leave him in the lab," she thought. She placed Allen on a wooden board, lifted it effortlessly, and carried him to the castle’s top floor—his old room.

"Mm~! Finally!" Sitting on the bedside sofa, Luna muttered. Exhaustion weighed on her.

Leaning against the mattress, she propped her cheek, gazing at Allen’s bandaged face. It looked eerily serene, like a sculpture.

*Hoo... hoo.* Soft breaths filled the quiet room.

"Unbelievable..." Luna thought. That horrifying scene replayed—Allen like a mindless beast, bloodthirsty, seeing her as prey to devour. Chills lingered.

She couldn’t forget his hollow, terrifying gaze. To him, she’d been mere food.

Luna looked at Allen. *Sigh.* She glanced outside. Dusk was near.

"Mm, evening..." she nodded to herself.

"Evening already?!" Panic struck. In this massive castle, only she labored! Allen couldn’t help with chores. Dust coated every surface after a week untouched. Lady Lilith’s laundry waited. So much to do! The rule was clear: finish work before eating. "I’m doomed," Luna thought desperately.

"I can make it! Full speed! Dinner’s waiting!"

...

After the Ice Festival, cold winds bit the night. But inside Demon Castle, Lilith’s barrier kept it warm as a spring field.

Luna managed everything perfectly—gardening, cleaning—except one thing: she couldn’t cook. She couldn’t cook!

"Luna, eat alone. I’m the Dark Lord; I don’t need food," Lilith said flatly.

Lilith fiddled with her hair, distracted.

"But! Master—"

"I’m busy! Leave if you’ve nothing!" Lilith’s tone brooked no argument.

"Okay... sniff..." Luna whimpered, whether acting or truly upset.

Only three lived here. Only one cooked—and he lay unconscious. No dinner for Luna tonight.

Before, with just two, she’d survived on raw meat. The taste haunted her. Now, spoiled by Allen’s cooking, raw flesh was unthinkable.

"Lilith, you old shut-in!" Luna thought bitterly.

Since awakening, Lilith rarely left her study, lab, or bedroom. Except that one trip to find Allen, Luna couldn’t recall her stepping outside. "Shut-in" fit perfectly—for a centuries-old Dark Lord.

Luna wouldn’t judge her master: a gentle workaholic. She ambled to the botanical garden, picked fruit, and lay on her vine net bed. Staring at stars, boredom gnawed at her.

She glanced at the bite marks on her arm. Allen flashed in her mind. Rocking on the goose-down hammock, sleepless, she eyed the study’s faint light, then Allen’s room above. Luna jumped down and headed there.

...

In the dim study, Lilith scribbled furiously in her notebook. "So close! Almost cracked the improved collar method!"

Three days ago, after punishing Allen and returning to Demon Castle, she’d started this research. No sleep for seventy-two hours. Only her Dark Lord constitution kept her going.

"Time to build it!" *Tap-tap-tap-tap!* Hurried heels clicked on stone.

...

"Allen? Allen? Wake up?" Luna whispered. No reply. His heavy breathing confirmed deep sleep.

*Click.* She lit the Magic Crystal Lamp on his nightstand. Warm beige light filled the room. Allen’s eyes were squeezed shut. His breaths came fast and labored. Two feverish flushes colored his cheeks. Hair spilled messily over the pillow.

"This is bad!" Luna thought. She touched his forehead—scorching hot. Infection from his wounds. Healing magic wouldn’t work. Only Lilith knew herbology. But Lilith refused to care for Allen... "I’ll check anyway." Luna hoisted him up and rushed to find her master.

The study stood empty. The chair’s cushion still held warmth. "Lilith... where are you..." Luna whispered, using her name outright.